FL

Storm restoration across Highlands County

Highlands County is a landlocked, south-central Florida county with no coastline, so storm surge is not a hazard; however, its inland position does not insulate it from major storm damage. Landfalling Gulf hurricanes track directly through the county on a northeast corridor: Hurricane Charley (2004, Category 4) destroyed approximately 1,400 homes and damaged 3,600 more, while Hurricane Irma (2017) drove wind gusts to 98 mph near Archbold and caused an estimated $360 million in property damage and wiped out roughly 70 percent of the citrus crop. Hurricane Ian (2022) prompted a Flash Flood Emergency declaration for the county as slow-moving rainbands produced extreme freshwater flooding in low-lying areas near lakes and the Kissimmee River. The dominant threats are high straight-line winds, tornado spin-offs embedded in outer bands, and prolonged inland freshwater flooding around Lake Istokpoga and the county's numerous lakes.