Stormy States: Where Hurricanes Hit Hardest

Are you planning on starting a construction job in Florida, the Caribbean or either of the Carolinas? If you are, you should probably think about checking the weather reports for the upcoming months first, since the Atlantic hurricane season is in its heat.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. Most storms and hurricanes occur during the season’s peak which lasts from mid-August to October. The areas covered include the North Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane is an intense tropical weather system with well-defined circulation and sustained winds of 74 mph or more. It only takes one hurricane to cause a great disaster. If you are starting a construction project, having a storm preparedness plan is strongly recommended. Builders and contractors lose millions of dollars every year due to insufficient planning.

Here are the top three states where storms and hurricanes are likely to hit during this year’s season.

Florida has been hit by hurricanes more than any other state. On average, one to two hurricanes make landfall on the East Coast every year. Of those, 40 percent hit Florida. Since 1851, 37 hurricanes have made direct hits on Florida.

Hurricane Andrew, the costliest hurricane to ever hit America, was the storm which provoked major changes in the way Florida builds and how the government manages crises. Andrew ripped Florida’s infrastructure 22 years ago and it took the state 10 more years to recover and adopt the new Florida Building Code.

Back then, the Florida Building Code was the first statewide building code and it mandated that all new construction should be built to sustain hurricane force and have shutters or impact-resistant glass to protect openings. In 2010 the code was amended. The state increased the wind speed that buildings need to be designed for to further minimize property damages.

Keep in mind that, apart from abiding with the Florida Building Code, all contractors also need to be licensed and bonded. 

Since 1980, at least 69 tropical or subtropical cyclones have hit Texas. According to the Weather Prediction Center, a tropical cyclone makes landfall along the coastline about three times every four years. Statistically, Texas suffers from the most storm hits every year during August and September when, respectively, between 19 and 23 storms hit the state.

With hurricanes Arthur and Bertha having already passed, the next named storms of the Atlantic hurricane season for 2014 will be Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred. According to the Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast, there is a 33 percent chance that at least one of them will hit Texas. They also estimate that there is a 19 percent chance of a major hurricane impacting the state this year.

Due to the heavy concentration of storms in the state, Texas has adopted the 2006 International Building Code, but has made some revisions to adapt it for a stormier weather. For example, exterior openings located within 30 feet of grade shall meet the requirements of the Large Missile Test of ASTM E 1996 and removable windborne debris protection need to have installation instructions provided.

All of the revisions are tailored to the magnitude of wind storms that Texas faces every year.

Not counting the still-in-progress 2014 hurricane season, North Carolina has been hit by 47 hurricanes in total. Twenty-four of them were Category 1, 13 were Category 2, 11 were Category 3 and one was Category 4. Of all the hurricanes which make a landfall on the East Coast, about 16 percent hit North Carolina. However, the state has never had a direct hit from a Category 5 hurricane.

The Atlantic hurricane season has already started with full speed for North Carolina, having been hit by hurricane Arthur. Arthur first became a tropical depression at the end of June. Then, on July 1, it became the first named storm of the year, reaching hurricane status in just two days. On July 3, Arthur hit North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane, picking up 100 mph winds.

Although forecasters predict a calmer Atlantic hurricane season this year, North Carolina’s location makes it a tropical storm sweet spot. Therefore, the threat of upcoming storms and downpours for this season is still not gone. Builders need to remember to constantly check the weather forecast and double-check the sturdiness of the construction. The condition of the roof is critically important in times of a stormy weather. Protecting the roof should be one of the priorities when building a construction in a "hurricane-prone" location.

If you are a contractor who is planning on starting a job on the East Coast during the Atlantic hurricane season, you should always be prepared for a storm landfall. Make a storm preparedness plan ahead of time, and try to always check the weather for the upcoming months.