I've lived in Florida all my life. Hurricane Dora struck my hometown when I was a baby. So I don't remember that one.
After that, I never experienced a decent storm until I was in my 40s. Frances and Jeanne happened the same year and caused quite a bit of damage. Not sure which storm did what, but we had to get a new roof and repair some water damaged ceilings.
The next year we had Wilma. She was a real bitch. Our house with the new roof stood up fine. Everyone else in the neighborhood had to get a new roof after that, lol. And everyone who had a pool cage saw it completely trashed. This is the only time I've stood in the eye of the hurricane. Cool experience, but don't really want to do it again. So, Wilma is #1 on the Rank 'Em.
Then all was quiet for awhile and I moved to Central Florida. Fast forward to 2016 and Hurricane Mathew. Caused a lot of problems out by the coast, but not really a big deal where I live (and we unnecessarily boarded up the entirety of Tradition Manor).
The next year we saw Irma. Bad storm, but no damage really. Just lots of tree debris and lake flooding. Glad I had a board on the southside window because a hard unopened pine cone hit that board right next to where I was sleeping.
Fast forward to last year. Ian was horrific and wasn't supposed to be that bad here. Lots of damage to siding and soffits. But the pool cage held up. Worst lake flooding I've ever seen in the 15 years I've lived here at Tradition Manor. Then Nicole blew through to add insult to injury, but she wasn't all that bad.
So, to rank the hurricanes I've actually rode out, it would go like this: Wilma, Ian, Frances/Jeanne (tie), Irma, Nicole, Mathew.
Oddly, the second-worst lake flood event was the year we bought Tradition Manor, and it wasn't even a hurricane. That was Tropical Storm Faye in 2008.
I know... CSB. Maybe you Iowans could do a blizzard rank 'em?
After that, I never experienced a decent storm until I was in my 40s. Frances and Jeanne happened the same year and caused quite a bit of damage. Not sure which storm did what, but we had to get a new roof and repair some water damaged ceilings.
The next year we had Wilma. She was a real bitch. Our house with the new roof stood up fine. Everyone else in the neighborhood had to get a new roof after that, lol. And everyone who had a pool cage saw it completely trashed. This is the only time I've stood in the eye of the hurricane. Cool experience, but don't really want to do it again. So, Wilma is #1 on the Rank 'Em.
Then all was quiet for awhile and I moved to Central Florida. Fast forward to 2016 and Hurricane Mathew. Caused a lot of problems out by the coast, but not really a big deal where I live (and we unnecessarily boarded up the entirety of Tradition Manor).
The next year we saw Irma. Bad storm, but no damage really. Just lots of tree debris and lake flooding. Glad I had a board on the southside window because a hard unopened pine cone hit that board right next to where I was sleeping.
Fast forward to last year. Ian was horrific and wasn't supposed to be that bad here. Lots of damage to siding and soffits. But the pool cage held up. Worst lake flooding I've ever seen in the 15 years I've lived here at Tradition Manor. Then Nicole blew through to add insult to injury, but she wasn't all that bad.
So, to rank the hurricanes I've actually rode out, it would go like this: Wilma, Ian, Frances/Jeanne (tie), Irma, Nicole, Mathew.
Oddly, the second-worst lake flood event was the year we bought Tradition Manor, and it wasn't even a hurricane. That was Tropical Storm Faye in 2008.
I know... CSB. Maybe you Iowans could do a blizzard rank 'em?
Last edited:
