Sumatra, Florida, given its location within the Florida Panhandle, is susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms that originate in the Gulf of Mexico. Distance from the coast does provide some level of protection; however, strong storms can still introduce risk of wind damage and heavy rainfall, resulting in potential flooding. Sumatra’s elevation is relatively high compared to coastal towns, which reduces the risk of storm surge flooding but does not completely eliminate the possibility of river or flash flooding. Historically, Sumatra has been affected by several major hurricanes over the past 30 years. The most impactful was Hurricane Michael in 2018, which devastated the Florida Panhandle as a powerful Category 5 hurricane, causing wide-scale damage due to powerful winds, heavy rain, and resultant flooding. While Sumatra didn't face direct coastline impact from storm surges, the severity of the weather conditions had indirect effects on the town. Given this history, it’s important for residents to take local storm warnings seriously and be prepared for both wind damage and flooding potential, particularly in lower-lying areas near water sources.