County: Putnam
ZIP Codes: 32148, 32149
Interlachen, Florida, holds a moderate risk when it comes to potential hurricane threats. Although being located far from the coast mitigates the risks associated with storm surges, its low-lying topography and position in North Central Florida make it susceptible to flooding as a result of heavy rainfall common with cyclones. Its proximity to larger water bodies, including several lakes and wetland areas, may exacerbate the flood risk due to overspill, especially for hurricanes which move slowly or stall over the region, delivering prolonged periods of rainfall. In terms of historical hurricanes and floods in Interlachen, Hurricane Irma in 2017 resulted in significant damage and flooding. Irma was unique as it impacted nearly every part of Florida. Other than this notable event, Interlachen was also impacted by the immense subtropical storm-like Hurricane Alberto in 1994 which resulted in heavy flooding. There were also indirect impacts from Hurricane Dorian in 2019, bringing heavy rainfalls and power outages in the area. Additionally, although they're often not as intense as coastal areas, wind hazards also cannot be neglected in the case of these hurricanes. Therefore, with the intensifying hurricane activities over recent years, the town needs to consider updating its emergency response plans taking into account both flood and wind threats.