Storms of 2024 highlight why hurricane season prep is critical in South Florida
As 2025 hurricane season begins, forecasters and emergency officials are urging South Florida residents to prepare now — lessons learned from the devastating 2024 season serve as a stark reminder of what's at stake.
From the outset, 2024 proved to be anything but typical. Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded, strengthening just one month into the season.
The storm tore through Caribbean nations before striking the U.S., leaving widespread devastation in its wake.
"The damage is done," a resident in Grenada told CBS News. "I'm really heartbroken because this is a lot of work." A woman in southeast Texas echoed that sentiment, saying she had "never been through anything like this" before.
A deadly and unpredictable 2024 peak season
September, usually the height of hurricane activity, started off quieter than usual due to Saharan dust limiting storm development. But the calm didn't last. By late September, the season exploded with two powerful storms striking Florida just two weeks apart.
On September 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region, battering communities near Tallahassee.
"It was rough. It has been rough for the last few days," one local told CBS News Miami's Najahe Sherman. But Florida was spared the worst — Helene's true devastation unfolded in the Carolinas, where catastrophic flooding and hurricane-force winds led to more than 150 deaths.
Residents were left without basic necessities.
"No water. Barely have food. Everything expiring in the fridge so it's down to canned goods and food trucks," one man said.
Florida hit twice as hard with Hurricane Milton
As the Carolinas reeled from Helene, Florida braced for another blow.
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, delivering powerful storm surge to Gulf Coast communities still recovering from past storms like Hurricane Ian.
One resident told CBS News Miami's Larry Seward: "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." Another man said his trailer was removed after Helene to prevent damage, only for Milton to destroy the area where it stood.
Milton didn't just batter the Gulf Coast. On Florida's east coast, the storm spawned a record-breaking 45 tornadoes — the most ever generated by a single hurricane in the state. Among them was an EF-3 tornado, the strongest Florida had ever recorded.
"It was a very scary moment," a longtime resident told reporter Nikiya Carrero. "Florida resident for 30 years so I'm used to hurricanes, but not tornadoes."
The 2024 hurricane season left over $121 billion in damage
By the end of 2024, Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton had caused more than $121 billion in combined damage across the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and southeastern U.S. Their aftermath underscores the urgency of preparation for every household in hurricane-prone regions.
As the 2025 hurricane season begins, experts stress the importance of stocking up on supplies, understanding evacuation zones, and staying weather-aware.
Because when it comes to hurricanes, history shows it's not a matter of if, but when.
