FL

Storm restoration across Charlotte County

Charlotte County sits at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor on Florida's southwest Gulf Coast, making it directly exposed to Category 4 and 5 hurricane wind and storm surge. Hurricane Ian made landfall just south of Punta Gorda in September 2022 with 145 mph winds, delivering storm surge of roughly 4-8 feet along Charlotte Harbor and up the Peace River, catastrophic wind destruction that leveled more than 200 homes, and over 26 inches of rainfall recorded in Grove City. Hurricane Charley struck the county nearly directly in 2004 with 145 mph winds. Beyond named storms, the low-lying terrain along the Peace and Myakka Rivers creates severe inland flooding risk during and after any landfalling system, and king-tide surge events compound coastal flooding even in non-hurricane years; Hurricane Milton in 2024 pushed 5-8 feet of surge along the Peace River corridor and damaged more than 2,500 structures.