FL

Storm restoration across Hernando County

Hernando County faces a dual storm threat: Gulf coast storm surge and inland riverine flooding. The coastal communities west of US-19, particularly Hernando Beach, are in low-lying Evacuation Zone A and experienced an estimated 8-foot surge from Hurricane Helene in September 2024, with forecasters projecting 8-12 feet for a direct hit - most single-story homes in that zone lost everything. The county's flat terrain and the wide, shallow Gulf continental shelf allow surge to push far inland. Inland, the Withlacoochee River is a separate and severe hazard: Hurricane Milton (October 2024) drove the river to approximately 19.7 feet at Trilby, the highest crest since the 1930s, inundating entire neighborhoods like Ridge Manor and closing Highway 301 and Cortez Boulevard under water that residents described as unprecedented.