It’s that time of year once again. Hurricane Season starts June 1st and runs through the end of November. It has been unusually quiet over the past few hurricane seasons and this year may be serving up the same.
The 2016 hurricane season is expected to be an average year, according to researchers at Colorado State University. What that means for homeowners listing homes for sale in Port St. Lucie? Stand ready.
Port St. Lucie Hurricane History
Port St. Lucie is no stranger to hurricanes. Three hurricanes hit the Treasure Coast during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane season. The Port St. Lucie coast suffered a direct hit on September 4, 2004, by Hurricane Frances which was listed as a Category 2 hurricane. This one was followed by Hurricane Jeanne, which came in 22 days later as a Category 3 hurricane.
The following year, Hurricane Wilma tracked its way from the western coast across the peninsula over to the east coast hitting Port St. Lucie on October 24, 2005, as a Category 3 hurricane.
The Predicament of Homes for Sale in Port St. Lucie
When listing homes for sale in Port St. Lucie during the hurricane season, you might be called to secure the property even if you aren’t living in it or else your investment could be damaged. To get started, be sure that you’ve got the following areas ready:
- Insurance: Know what type of insurance your property has and needs. Do an insurance check-up to ensure that you have enough in case a hurricane does hit and the home needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Protect Homes: Make sure your Port St. Lucie real estate is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications. In the event of a possible hurricane strike, you will want to have hurricane shutters, plywood, aluminum, or steel panels available to cover windows and doors. Also, keep in mind that the garage door is one of the most vulnerable parts of the home and needs to be able to withstand hurricane force winds.
What Does an Average Hurricane Season Mean?
According to the Colorado State University forecast, an average hurricane season means a total of 12 named storms are predicted to form. Five of the 12 will be averaged sized hurricanes and two are expected to be major hurricanes, which is classified as a Category 3 or stronger on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Whether any of these storms will make landfall along the Treasure Coast in 2016 is anyone’s guess. Will homes for sale in Port St. Lucie be affected? Who knows. The truth is the continental U.S. is due for another hurricane strike. It is a guarantee that a hurricane will hit Florida someday. However, it is totally impossible to know if it will occur this year or the next or the next.
When buying beautiful homes for sale in Port St. Lucie or anywhere in the state of Florida, you can bet you and your property will live through a hurricane. Whether it is a Category 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 hurricane, there is the possibility that damage may occur. Even a weak tropical storm hitting any area of the U.S. can cause major impacts, like flooding and wind damage.
The best advice: Be prepared. While you wait for the next one, enjoy the gorgeous Sunshine State!
