The hurricane danger most Floridians underestimate

The forecast cone may grab the headlines during hurricane season, but it does not show storm size or all of a storm’s impacts. In Florida, some of the most serious damage can extend well beyond the center track.

As hurricane season begins, remember this: the cone is not the whole story — and the coast is not the only place at risk. In Florida, the smarter question isn’t just where is the storm going? It’s what could it do where I live? Meteorologist Leslie Hudson has more. Click the Youtube link below:

On average, hurricane-force winds extend outward about 25 to 100 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds stretch much wider, reaching up to 150 to 300 miles outward. Florida's peninsula width averages about 120 miles, making it a prime candidate for state wide impacts on any given storm.