provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Predictions show a 35 percent chance for a major hurricane in Florida this season, but as WINK News Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt pointed out at the July 16 SanCap Chamber business luncheon, Florida has a lot of coast line, and that figure also means there’s a 65 percent chance it won’t happen at all. The meeting took place at The Community House on Sanibel Island, sponsored by Alliant Association Management and catered by Tutti Pazzi, both of Sanibel.
“I also want to highlight how much we’ve grown and how much better things have gotten,” Devitt said, illustrating his sentiments with a before-and-after tool showing satellite images of the causeway, Lighthouse Beach, and other island beaches right after Hurricane Ian in 2022 as compared to today. “Let me show you how far we’ve come…. That’s the big thing with a hurricane. Yes, it can leave lasting impacts, but that doesn’t mean it has to be like that forever…. It is amazing what you guys in this room have done.”
He gave a rundown of weather conditions surrounding recent hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton, while comparing them with years before and this year. The year 2022, for example, is considered an average hurricane year, but for Southwest Floridians it was anything but average, Devitt said. Ian broke records for surge, damage costs, and so many other indicators. The second-highest surge in Southwest Florida was in 1873.
Warm temperatures in the gulf and the lack of an El Nino weather phenomenon have predictions up for this season. “Interestingly enough, water temperatures are actually cooler than they were last year, but the gulf is still warmer than average,” Devitt said.
“We thank Matt for doing exactly what he is known for – giving us a calm, straight-forward, no-hype look at hurricanes past and how we can be prepared for the possibility of hurricanes future,” said John Lai, SanCap Chamber president and chief executive officer. “He closed by promising us he will continue to be a ‘straight shooter,’ and I know we can count on that.”
The next monthly SanCap business luncheon will take place 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa in Fort Myers. It will feature a legislative update with Florida District 33 Sen. Jonathon Martin and District 80 Rep. Adam Botana. SanCap Chamber board member and vice president of government relations at Lee Health, Michael Nachef, will moderate. The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company is sponsoring the event.
ABOUT SANCAP CHAMBER
The SanCap Chamber is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of its members and preserving the quality of life of our community. The Chamber plays a key role in facilitating communication and cooperation between business, residents, and government to enhance the economic health of the islands. Its website, sanibel-captiva.org, receives over 1.3 million visits per year. For more information about the chamber, visit sanibel-captiva.org or contact John Lai, president and CEO, at 239-472-2348 or John@sanibel-captiva.org.