A hurricane can strike in many places around the world. Maryland is no exception. With a hurricane, even a smaller hurricane can bring hours of ongoing rain. While looking out your window, it just looks like its a normal rainfall, what can come next can cause more damage than expected. Hurricanes are known for high winds that come in bursts, often with violent winds. With long periods of rainfall comes problems. The soil around trees can become very soft, coupled with higher winds the trees eventually fall down. Then of course long periods of rain cause flooding. Rainfall that normally goes in runoff areas get overflowed and cause high waters that can even sweep cars away. Heavy rainfall and flooding can also seep into your home causing interior damage.

When is Hurricane Season?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, but most years, the first two months of the season are typically quiet. June averages only one named storm every other year, and July has averaged one named storm per year since 1950. Per the national weather service, August sees more than three times the number of named storms as July, and almost double the number of June and July storms combined. As August progresses, the number of named storms steadily increases. Storms tend to develop in the Caribbean in the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf Coast and gain speed as they come from the south and hit land. Hurricanes have been known to travel all the way up the Eastern Coast hitting not only shore towns, but inner cities too.

Is My House In a Flood zone?

If you are concerned about flood damage and your susceptibility, you can check to see if your area is in a flood zone on Fema’s Website. However, just because you are not in a marked “flood zone” doesn’t mean that you may not get floods in your area if a hurricane or bad storm hits your area. If any nearby drainage gets clogged or flash floods occur as part of a nasty storm, your home or car can still be impacted by flood waters. Not only oceans cause floods, but nearby lakes, streams and low-lying pockets of areas can flood. Even your neighbor’s pool can overflow and if not properly leveled, can seep into your yard.

Do I need Flood Insurance?

Some people believe they can skip flood insurance, figuring that if there is a hurricane or flash flood, federal or state disaster aid afterwards will take care of any loss they may have. However, most disaster assistance comes in the form of low-interest loans, not just payouts. Many homeowners are unaware that their home insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. Read more about flood damage from the experts at Staples & Associates and contact us if you have any questions about your current homeowners policy or flood insurance.

Ask us more about what is covered when a flood damages your property.