Lake Wales, Florida, despite being situated approximately 50 miles inland from both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, is not immune to the potential impacts of hurricanes. The threats to this region derive from the fact that hurricanes carry such vast amounts of energy and can easily travel considerable distances across land. Historically, hurricanes have brought diverse effects to Lake Wales ranging from periods of heavy rainfall, strong winds, and power outages to less common instances of river and localized flash flooding, despite the town's higher elevation relative to many parts of Florida.

Taking a look at the past 30 years, Hurricane Charley in 2004 was one of the most significant hurricanes to affect Lake Wales. It caused considerable damage due to high speed winds and heavy rainfall, resulting in property damage and power outages. Flooding typically tends not to be an overriding concern for Lake Wales given its elevation and distance from the coast; however, hurricanes like Irma in 2017 showed that torrential rainfall can lead to lakes, creeks, and drainage systems in the area overflowing, causing flood damage. The town’s infrastructure, especially the electric grid, transportation networks, and housing in tree-dense areas need to be resilient enough to handle the hurricanes' impacts. Therefore, town residents should still take hurricane warnings seriously and make adequate preparations.