November 30 marks the final day of hurricane season, giving a sense of relief to millions of Americans who faced the uncertainty of strong tropical systems battering their cities this year.
“Today marks the end of the 2022 Hurricane Season! (We’re ALL happy to see it go ) Remember to stay prepared for emergencies year-round, regardless of the season: Make a plan Listen to local officials. Have multiple ways to get weather alerts,” the Florida Division of Emergency Management said on Wednesday, listing off the 2022 storm names:
The conclusion of hurricane season follows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) dealing with an active late season in the Sunshine State, which put his administration to the test right before the midterm elections as he faced off against Democrat Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL):
Hurricane Ian, a strong Category 4 storm, battered the state’s west coast, severely damaging infrastructure and knocking out power for millions of Floridians. Yet, Florida had tens of thousands of linemen ready, and power was restored to 99 percent, other than some of the LCEC [Lee County Electric Cooperative] pockets, in mere days.
A temporary Pine Island bridge was constructed in three days, and the severe damage to the Sanibel Causeway was restored and opened to residents in weeks:
Then, in November, Florida’s east coast was hit by Tropical Storm Nicole, which destroyed several areas of A1A. Photos showed severe damage in St. Johns County’s Vilano Beach. However, it was repaired in 7.5 hours under DeSantis’s leadership: