FLORIDA – May 28, 2025 – We’ve all heard the saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” to which in Florida we might add, “and May flowers bring hurricane season.” While record-breaking rainfall in many areas over the past month provided some welcome if only brief relief to drought conditions, the resulting street flooding in some regions also served as a reminder of what’s to come.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the rainy season in most of Florida runs from now through October, overlapping with hurricane season which runs from June 1 through November 30. With Colorado State University (CSU) predicting another above-average hurricane season, that’s cause for concern and a good reason to quickly finalize any preparations.

CSU is predicting 17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes defined as Category 3 (111 mph) or higher. Topping the list of states most at risk is Florida, with a 92 percent chance of being impacted by a named storm. That includes a 65 percent chance of a hurricane making landfall in the Sunshine State, and a 35 percent chance that it will be a major hurricane.

The Florida Legislature is now several weeks overdue in approving the state’s budget, which would normally include a sales tax holiday for specified hurricane preparedness supplies. If the sales tax holiday is approved, details will be reported in news outlets and posted on the Florida Department of Revenue website which can be found HERE. [https://floridarevenue.com/Pages/default.aspx]

While a sales tax holiday is uncertain, Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) urges all Floridians to finish up their plans now. Click HERE for general information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) [https://www.noaa.gov/take-action-today]. Topics covered include:

  • Determine your risk from water and wind

  • Begin preparing now, before a storm

  • Learn how to understand hurricane forecasts and alerts

  • Learn what to do before, during, and after a storm

Click HERE for a detailed Disaster Supply Checklist and other information from the Florida Division of Emergency Management [https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/hurricane-supply-checklist/]. Topics covered include:

  • General information and phone numbers

  • Clothing, first aid, food and water

  • Important documents and vehicle readiness

  • Special needs and pet care items

FGUA prepares year-round to minimize the impact of storms on its customers, with a priority focus on preventing service disruptions by investing in upgraded systems, working with electric utilities to expedite the restoration of power, and sharing timely information through its website and the news media.

Even with the best preparation, equipment and systems, Mother Nature is a powerful competitor. Heavy rainfall, widespread flooding, water main breaks from uprooted trees and loss of power to pumping stations may result in loss of water pressure. All current outages and notices are posted on the FGUA website at fgua.com.

The Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) owns and operates almost 100 water and wastewater utility systems in 14 Florida counties, providing service to more than 120,000 customer connections. Counties served by FGUA include Citrus, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, Pasco, Polk, Seminole, Hardee, Lee, Alachua, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia.

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