DeFuniak Springs, located in the northwest of Florida, is approximately 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. This geographical location means that while it may not be directly hit by hurricanes making landfall, it can potentially still experience significant impacts. The threats in a hurricane scenario typically include heavy rainfall and severe winds, which can lead to localized flooding, fallen trees, or power outages. This is especially true during high category storms or when the soil is already saturated from previous rains. The city's elevation, at around 250 feet, provides some natural protection from storm surges but doesn't fully eliminate risks that come with torrential downpours. Historically, DeFuniak Springs has been moderately affected by tropical cyclones, with Hurricane Opal (1995) and Hurricane Ivan (2004) being ones of note. These storms caused significant rain, wind damage and isolated flooding in the city. Recent hurricanes such as Hurricane Sally (2020) impacted the coastal areas more significantly, however, still brought heavy rainfall to inland areas such as DeFuniak Springs. Overall, due to its inland location, the primary recurrent threat to the city tends to be freshwater flooding from excessive rainfall rather than storm surge or high-intensity wind damage. It is crucial for residents to focus preparedness efforts on protecting their homes against these impacts, including ensuring proper drainage to lessen flood risks, securing loose items that could be thrown by high winds, and creating an emergency plan for potential evacuations.