FL

Storm restoration across Lee County

Lee County is one of the most hurricane-vulnerable counties in the United States, sitting on Florida's southwest Gulf Coast where barrier islands, shallow bays, and low-lying terrain concentrate storm surge. Hurricane Ian made direct landfall on Cayo Costa in Lee County on September 28, 2022, with 150 mph sustained winds, driving 10-15 feet of storm surge through Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel that destroyed or severely damaged more than 52,000 structures countywide and killed 72 county residents - the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina in those geographic terms. The county also sustained a direct hit from Category 4 Hurricane Charley in 2004, which generated a 6-8 foot surge along Sanibel and Estero Island, and was previously struck by Hurricane Donna in 1960 whose surge reached 11 feet on the southwest coast. Inland communities including Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers, and Cape Coral face compounding freshwater flooding from the Caloosahatchee River basin and drainage canal systems during major storm events even when surge itself is less severe.