South Miami Heights, Florida, despite being situated approximately 10 miles inland from the coast, faces a significant threat level from hurricanes. Its close proximity to the coastline leaves it open to severe wind, heavy rainfall, and flooding from storm surges. This area is flat, with an average elevation of only 10 feet above sea level, which adds to the vulnerability from flooding. In fact, South Miami Heights is located within a flood zone mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This indicates a high risk for flooding due to heavy rain or landfalling hurricanes, especially due to its poor drainage systems and large overlapping canal networks. Over the past 30 years, several major hurricanes have directly impacted South Miami Heights. A poignant example was Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which was a Category 5 hurricane and devastated the area with extreme winds and flooding. More recently, Hurricane Irma in 2017, a Category 4 hurricane, caused significant damage due to high winds and intense rainfall, leading to inescapable and widespread flooding. Therefore, while the town's inland position protects it from direct coastal storm surges, the combined hazard from high wind speeds, heavy rainfall and its flat topography with an elevation close to sea level make South Miami Heights particularly susceptible to hurricane impacts. These factors should be given due consideration in planning for storm preparation and response.