County: Citrus
ZIP Codes: 34436
Floral City, Florida, though it's located inland Central Florida and roughly 15 miles away from the nearest Gulf Coast, has its fair share of potential hurricane risks. Due to the flatness topography (elevation of about 16 meters) and the presence of several water bodies around, it is extremely susceptible to flooding, even from tropical storms or hurricanes that make landfall dozens of miles away. Further, position to the west of the peninsular Florida adds another edge of risk. While perhaps less vulnerable to direct hurricane hits compared to Florida's coastal areas, the threat of heavy rainfall, strong winds, and resultant inland flooding remains significant. As for the historical hurricane events, Floral City has been within the realm of numerous tropical cyclones including the catastrophic 2004 hurricane season when it was affected by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. More recently, Hurricane Irma in 2017 passed over this area resulting in substantial rainfall and damage. From a flood perspective, the city is demarcated as having moderate to low risk of flooding. Nevertheless, the major hurricanes in the past have resulted in significant flooding situations, thus the flood risk cannot be completely disregarded. Residents should be cognizant of the fact that hurricanes can escalate quickly and preparedness is key. Given the town's geography, potential hurricane impacts such as heavy rain-induced flooding, wind damage, and power outages should all be taken into account for hurricane preparedness planning.