How usual are storms this time of year

[UK Paul]

We bought 180 points at SSR in April after visiting in March and are looking at a first trip around 16-31 August 2005 (school holidays in UK and my DD is now at senior school so can't take her out of school really).
How unusual is hurricane Charley at this time of year? - should I be worried?

Seems that WDW was well organised though in preparation - my sympathies go out to all who lost loved ones and suffered damage to properties.

Advice please.

Thanks

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Well, tropical storms/hurricanes are not at all unusual during the summer months; however, most do not hit the US. The season runs from June-November. It is very unusual that this hurricane went through Orlando. I wouldn't worry too much. Remember the only other time WDW has closed for a hurricane was Floyd in 1999 and it only brushed the coast before hitting North Carolina.

 

[spiceycat]

hurricane season in Fl is from June to Nov - that say - Orlando hardly ever gets any of the hurricane that the gulf and ocean get.

besides WDW knew it was hurricane country - their resorts are build to withstand hurricane - it is the flooding that you just can't built for and they have to move the guests.

Was SSR hurt?

one of my favorite time to visit is Sept (the other time is Dec) - and hurricanes probably won't change it.

Now trying to get there is another problem.....

 

[offtheice]

Originally posted by UK Paul
We bought 180 points at SSR in April after visiting in March and are looking at a first trip around 16-31 August 2005 (school holidays in UK and my DD is now at senior school so can't take her out of school really).
How unusual is hurricane Charley at this time of year? - should I be worried?

Seems that WDW was well organised though in preparation - my sympathies go out to all who lost loved ones and suffered damage to properties.

Advice please.

Thanks

Plain and simple . This is hurrican season to nov. This is why rates drop in the trop areas. If you want to go to any of the islands , sept thur nov is cheap because of this one reason. No one knows when we are going to have a fall filled with huricannes. ,but it can happen and looks to be happening right now. There is two storms taking the same path that charley is doing right now. one is a trop storm and the other is a hurricane right now.

 

[WKUMAD]

Well, I'm no expert but Atlantic storms effecting Eastern USA are not unusual in August. September and October may be worse. Orlando is not usually affected by hurricanes. Charley was unusual. Of course the last 2 weeks in Orlando have lots of afternoon thuderstorms.
I would not worry too much about your trip next August. Another hurricane over Orlando would be very unusual. Most hurricanes and tropical weather go into the Gulf Of Mexico or up the Atlantic coast. Interior Florida gets some residue in the form of heavy rains.
Have a great trip.

 

[spiceycat]

the hurricane season is from June to Nov -

Orlando generally does not get one.

WDW was build knowing that this is hurricane area - so I won't worry about the hurricane - now flooding is something unless you are on the those sticks things (that the flood insurance requires you to get on the coast) is the only thing to help with flooding.

HEY the DISNEY FAN on the TRAVEL CHANNEL IS ON NOW!!!!

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi Paul,

I'm from the UK too and will be mostly travelling in August for the same reason as you. I have been in August many times before and will continue to do so - like you I've just bought into SSR.

What the others have said is spot on!

Cheers

Karen

 

[DrTomorrow]

Yep, this is hurricane season, but listen to TIdoublegaER and spiceycat - this hurricane was unusual. And, with all due respect, offtheice's weather info is in error. Hurricane Danielle isn't even expected to hit land, and they don't even know yet where Tropical Storm Earl is going; so to say that they're "taking the same path that charley is" is incorrect.

Don't worry; the odds that you'll be affected are quite slim, and if you are, it sounds like Disney takes good care of you!

 

[kathleena]

Just echoing everyone else. Hurricanes are not unusual this time of year - it's the season. But it's rare that a hurricane hits the US - I would say one, two or maybe three a year - and rarer still that hurricanes in subsequent years would hit in the same spots.

And the two out there now are not tracking the same as Charley. One is off the coast of Africa and projected to die out at sea. The other one (not even a hurricane yet) is tracking south of Charley's route - could hit Mexico or go into one of the Gulf States.

So go without worry.

I plan on being there around those dates also - so if a Mainer will brave the heat, crowds and hurricanes, let that be some security for you!

 

[buckylarue]

As the Weather Channel kept pointing out over the past few days, it has been 44 years since a major hurricane hit the Florida Gulf Coast, crossed the state and continued up the Atlantic Coast, so I wouldn't worry too much about it!

 

[DisneyCrazy]

Here is the National Weather Service's Archieve of Past Hurricane Seasons.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastall.shtml

As stated before, hurricane season runs June to November - but it is a bell curve with MOST storms happening between the end of July and the beginning of September.

If you look at the archive there has been a storm that cut across Florida almost every year, not always a hurricane, and DEFINITELY not the strength of Charley.

My sister seems to have the knack of visiting when a storm comes, they were there for Floyd and Hugo (my bother-in-law has some GREAT video). And my niece was there a few days ago for Charley (took her two days to get a flight out - and had to drive to Tampa or she'd still be there).

Actually, a couple of years ago (2 maybe) we were in Florida when a hurricane hit the northeast (where we are from)... I think it was 'Bob'. It was heading RIGHT towards Florida at first - and everyone was warning us - then it turned and headed UP the coast. I believe it made landfall in New Jersey (we're right next door in Pennsylvania).

As it always is with Mother Nature - you don't know WHAT to expect. The past is no bearing on the future. There WILL be hurricanes that hit WDW... But Disney is 60+ miles from the East Coast and 90+ miles from the West coast - a definite 'damping' region.

Having said that - I have visited Disney dozens of times in PEAK hurricane season and would not HESSITATE to do so again.

 

[Sammie]

Disney was also affected by Hurricane Erin. They closed the parks early the day before and opened at noon the day after.

 

[disneygang]

Well there has been some good information here, I agree with the fact a small portion of Hurricanes hit the US.

But, I get the impression there is a feeling that the city of Orlando wouldn't get hit by a Hurricane is a fact.

I would never say change your plans or vacations due to the fact we have Hurricanes. I live in Southeast Louisiana and they are a part of life here as well.

Go enjoy your vacations, and I will be doing the same but don't feel it is any less likely to affect WDW as it is New Orleans, Mobile or Orlando. If a storm is active just be vigilant in getting info. and make the best decisions you can from there

We just went from 7/31 - 8/7 to Disney.

This is not to disagree with anyone, but Orlando has no better chance than the next city of missing a storm. IMHO.

 

[Pa@okw95]

Hurricane season is at its height during Sugust and September but like others have said they rarely effect WDW. What does go on this time of year is rain, rain and more rain. But hurricanes are very rare.

 

[spiceycat]

When Walt was looking for WDW - he surposely did a historical survery of all the middle area of Fl - from Lake City down to the swamp and the least hurricanes were in the Orlando area.

the history does not affect the future (or now) - but it is a good standard to go by.

besides as I have say WDW is built for most hurricanes - 140 mph - now that does not mean that a 170 hurricane could not do damage - it would certainly. but more hurricanes lost strength over land.

I live in Ala - we have tornadoes all the time - I would rather have a hurricane. Most of the time the weather bureau is pretty good prediciting where these things will come.

the weather bureau know they did a bad job on this one and I really think they will take the model apart until they know what went wrong and how to ever let this happen again.

they hate it when people die as much as everyone else.

they can't prevent property damage but until this one they had done a good job of preventing deads.

I got mad at the news coverage last night - the guy was trying to say it was the people's fault that they died.......

 

[manning]

The peak seems to be in Sept and then trends downwards. Who knows where one of these will hit. As an example. Charlie rolled in over Sanabel/Captiva. The last time they had one was in 1960 (Donna).

You can get hit twice in a row. But for you poker players, how many times have you seen a royal flush dealt to the same person twice in a row.

 

[manning]

UK Paul -- I caught something on tv last night. It was from the guy who is in charge of hurricane forecasting at Accuweather.com.

He said people are not aware that weather goes in cycles. What we are now seeing is a pattern from the 1940's 50' and 60'. This period was highly active with serious hurricanes. Add to that the vast increase in the population.

Also there is another island. The hurricane cut a new channel on North Captiva. As the Naple Daily News put it, "The new island is a small hiccup of sand and land without homes on North Captiva's southern end."

Captiva was one island until a hurricane divided it in 1921.

 

[OkieDisney]

Let me just echo the sentiments here.
Disney did a phenomenal job handling the
Hurricane. Really, the entire time we were
affected was about 3-4 ish to 10ish at night.

Animal Kingdom was closed on Friday and Sat.
The other parks shut down at 1 on Friday
and had normal hours on Sat.

Quite honestly, I would spend more time
considering how you would handle the
1-2 hour thunderstorms that happen
every day as opposed to worrying about
the Hurricanes!

Karen

 

[disneygang]

Sounds like a good plan OkieDisney.

The first week of August the showers were great. I will take 85 to 88 deg. with a little drizzle over 95 and 100 deg. bone dry.

Mother Nature is NOT predictable.

Bring your pancho and get after it in the parks.