Inland flooding: The growing hurricane threat far from the coast

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — When most people think of hurricanes, the mind jumps to wind speeds, storm surge, or the category of the storm.
But for many Floridians in 2024, the greatest threat came after the storm made landfall—inland flooding.
Year of the surge: How a storm 100 miles away changed Tampa Bay forever
This past hurricane season brought high water to neighborhoods that had never seen flooding before. And experts say it wasn't just a fluke. It's a warning.
In Lakeland's Lake Bonny neighborhood, Jan Morsey still remembers the terrifying hours after Hurricane Milton passed overhead.
'The water was so high it had already inundated our cars… we had electrical wires down that were blocking our driveway, so we had no way of escaping,' she said. 'It was a frantic, very frightening situation.'
Jan and her family had to be rescued by a passing truck, grabbing only what they could carry.
'Our little dogs were in their carriers, and that was it for us. It was unbelievable how quickly that water came in.'
And the water didn't leave quickly. Days turned into weeks. The water lingered.
It wasn't just Florida. In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene brought similar devastation to the mountains. Entire towns in Asheville were washed away, roads collapsed, and beloved landmarks were lost.
The storm claimed more than 200 lives across the Southeast, the vast majority due to flooding.
'It will test the fortitude of anyone,' said Florida resident Michael Chad Smith. 'But it could have been worse. Look at North Carolina.'
Experts point to several factors:
Urban development in once-rural areas can overwhelm outdated drainage systems.
Stormwater infrastructure—including dams, canals, and retention ponds—can't always keep up with population growth.
Climate data shows hurricanes are producing more rainfall than ever before.
Slow-moving systems can dump torrential rain far from the storm's center.
'If there is a body of water and the drainage hasn't kept up, my story can be your story,' said Morsey.
The most frightening aspect of inland flooding? How fast it can happen.
'Fifteen minutes. That's all it took,' said Smith. 'Hurricane rain is different. It's a lot of water, very quickly.'
A street full of puddles can turn into a river in moments—especially when the ground is already saturated.
The National Hurricane Center has responded by:
Launching a public awareness campaign about inland flood dangers
Expanding watches and warnings to cover inland areas
Debuting a flood forecast tool to better anticipate rainfall totals
Issuing new rainfall outlooks tied to tropical systems
The message is clear: You don't have to live on the coast to be at risk.
Michael Chad Smith puts it bluntly:
'What you think can't happen, will happen in a crisis-type situation. Prepare for the worst.'
The residents of Lake Bonny never thought their neighborhood would flood. But in 2024, they joined a growing list of inland communities learning just how quickly things can change.
And with storms becoming wetter and more widespread, that list is likely to grow.
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