1-in-4 Floridians unprepared for hurricane season June 1
Florida’s extensive fires and droughts see a slight downtick from recent rains, hurricane season may still pack a punch even with an El Niño in effect, and a survey finds that 1-in-4 Floridians are not prepared for hurricane season. It’s all in this week’s Disaster Management Digest.
Broward County firefighters on the ground and in the air douse flames from the Max Road wildfire, May 12, 2026. Courtesy, Broward County Sheriff’s Fire Rescue
Florida Fire & Drought Updates: The recent heavy rainfall across Florida’s Panhandle and North Florida have helped the drought there a little bit but 99% of the state still remains under at least a moderate drought, and 24% under exceptional drought. Some 544 wildfires are still burning across 17,646 acres of land. Experts at the National Interagency Fire Center warn that South Florida is still likely to see “above-normal” levels of wildfire potential all summer until August. The latest – the Max Road wildfire − scorched more than 11,400 acres in west Broward County over four days last week before being 100% contained by firefighters. The North Florida rains allowed Leon, Jackson, Taylor, Bay, and Suwannee counties, among others, to lift their burn bans entirely. The current Fire Danger Index (FDI) does not have any counties over a ‘High’ estimated fire level, a noticeable drop from two weeks ago when this historical drought intensified. And while the South Florida rainy season, running from May 15 to October 15, will likely bring respite from the drought there, experts at the National Weather Service warn that it will bring less rain that usual and higher temperatures.
National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan. Courtesy, NOAA
Don’t Count on El Niño: This hurricane season’s El Niño forecast can mean good things for hurricane-prone areas like Florida, usually reducing the number of major storms and landfalls. But experts are telling Floridians not to rest easy for the 2026 storm season – which runs from June 1 to November 30 – warning that tropical cyclones often defy meteorological trends. Experts in the field gathered at the 40th annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference earlier this month with one message: “The risk is going to be there for impacts this year regardless of what you hear about in any seasonal forecast,” National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan told the group, even with the Climate Prediction Center citing a 82% chance for an El Niño from May-July 2026. Being prepared is still the name of the game, as some 11 to 16 named storms are still expected to materialize. However, AccuWeather meteorologists are banking on the rare ‘Super’ El Niño, and the data from El Niño years clearly shows the decreased storm activity. For instance, Hurricane Idalia was the only hurricane to make U.S. landfall in the 2023 strong El Niño year, data which should leave Floridians with a cautious optimism, expecting the best but prepared for the worst.
A Quarter of Florida Unprepared: According to a recent AAA survey, 1-in-4 Floridians are in no way prepared for the worst – 23% of the Sunshine State homeowners having made no advance preparations for hurricane season. However, 1-in-5 of those surveyed stated they were more worried about this year’s hurricane season than last year. Shockingly, 54% answered that they only begin to make preparations once a hurricane is approaching their area – usually by then it is far too late to cover all the bases. The survey also found that the homeowner insurance awareness gap is a widespread issue. Many Floridians prioritize emergency supplies over emergency protection like flood insurance. Nearly a quarter (23%) of those surveyed do not know that flood insurance is not included in homeowners insurance and another 41% do not know what their coverage entails. Working to address these gaps, AAA partnered with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to publish the AAA-IBHS Hurricane Ready Guide for actionable steps to help prepare Floridians for the worst. This paired with Lisa’s Lucky 7 Hurricane Season Prep should be a great start towards protecting you and your most important assets during storm season. Let’s stay safe out there!
LMA Newsletter of 5-18-26
