County: Brevard
ZIP Codes: 32951
Melbourne Beach, Florida is particularly vulnerable as the town is directly located on Florida's east-central coast. The low-lying topography of the town combined with its coastal location makes it highly prone to storm surges, which are typically the deadliest aspect of a hurricane. Moreover, seasonal high tides, referred to as "King Tides," have been known to cause minor flooding even during calm weather, but in the event of a storm, these could result in more severe effects. In terms of wind, while historic data implies structures in Melbourne Beach can mostly withstand hurricanes up to category 3, the town may suffer substantial damage from stronger storms with winds exceeding 120 mph. Looking at historical hurricane activity, Melbourne Beach experienced significant impacts from Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances in 2004. These back-to-back storms caused widespread flooding, structural damages, and electricity outage for extended periods of time. Then again in the late summer of 2019, Hurricane Dorian, although stayed offshore, caused numerous beach and dune erosion due to its slow motion and prolonged period of onshore winds. It's important to point out that climate change is leading to increased rainfall rates and intensification of hurricanes, hence these could exacerbate the existing flood risk and potential destruction in Melbourne Beach.