Regional partners convene to strengthen hurricane preparedness and flood management in central Florida

Ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, key partners in hurricane preparedness and flood management gathered at the Central Florida Coordination meeting hosted by the District.

Representatives from the South Florida Water Management District, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the National Weather Service (NWS), the Florida Flood Hub, the Florida Department of Transportation and the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, along with Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties and municipalities including Orlando, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Kissimmee, Lake Mary, Longwood, St. Cloud, Winter Garden and Winter Springs, met to share updates and strategies to strengthen regional resilience.

Held at the District’s Apopka Service Center, the meeting focused on updates on critical flood control improvement projects, enhancing communication, sharing key information and fostering interagency collaboration to improve preparedness and response to flooding risks posed by hurricanes and severe weather events in Central Florida. The District’s core missions of flood protection, natural systems, water quality and water supply are all directly impacted by storm events, making coordinated planning with regional partners essential ahead of hurricane season.

“Effective hurricane preparedness begins long before the first storm forms,” said the District’s Chief Resilience Officer, Tom Frick. “Even if forecasts call for a below-average season, it only takes one storm to make an impact. That’s why we come together with regional partners ahead of the season to share resources, strengthen coordination and ensure we’re prepared.”

The meeting opened with an outlook on the upcoming hurricane season from NWS meteorologist Will Ulrich. While hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, Ulrich noted that Florida has historically experienced more hurricane landfalls in October than in any other month. He also highlighted recent improvements to NWS forecast cones, as well as a new experimental cone currently in development.

Chris Kinslow, the District’s emergency coordinating officer, provided an update on emergency management conditions, emphasizing ongoing drought and elevated wildfire risk. He explained that wildfire response is the District’s most frequent emergency activity and noted that above-average wildfire conditions are expected to persist through June.

The District’s Bureau of Water Resource Information also provided an educational presentation on high rainfall events and the contributing factors that can cause reversals of flow in the St. Johns River. Technical Program Manager Michael Daly and Water Resource Data Manager Wyatt Timmons examined three specific reversal events, with Daly noting that the river drops only about 30 feet in elevation from its headwaters in Indian River County to its outfall in Mayport. Additional updates were provided by the Florida Flood Hub, USACE, South Florida Water Management District and participating counties.

Local government representatives discussed completed projects, reviewed current flood management efforts and identified opportunities for stronger emergency coordination. With Central Florida’s complex topography and growing population, collaborative planning remains critical to minimizing flood impacts and ensuring public safety.

Residents are encouraged to support community preparedness by taking proactive steps before and during hurricane season, such as keeping storm drains clear of debris, reporting clogged ditches to local governments, retrofitting buildings for water resistance and securing flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.

For more information on the District’s role in flood protection and storm preparedness and response, visit www.sjrwmd.com/storm.

New to Florida or need a refresher on how stormwater systems? Learn more about stormwater design, management, and its limitations at www.sjrwmd.com/education/stormwater-systems.