This week is Florida Hazardous Weather Awareness week

This week is hazardous weather awareness week in Florida – a time for residents to make sure they are prepared for the types of bad weather Florida can throw at you like Tornadoes, lightning or hurricanes.

Florida leads the nation in lightning deaths and injuries as well as in the number of thunderstorms.

Rip Tides, and waterspouts are also constant dangers in the Sunshine state.

Franklin County, however, seems to handle its weather pretty well.

From 1959 through 2005, there were only been two reported deaths caused by lightning strikes, while areas in southern and central Florida have reported as many as 30.

Tornadoes are a constant danger in the area, and have killed 23 people in Franklin County since 1971.

Severe thunderstorms have claimed 31 lives in Franklin County in the past 30 years, but that's low compared to many Florida counties.

Hillsborough county, for example, has reported over 380 deaths from severe storms since 1971.

And rip currents, too, which plague coastal areas around the state have had a minimal impact on Franklin County.

There were 2 deaths attributed to rip tides in this county in the past 10 years

If you would like to learn more about hazardous weather in Florida, you can check out a number of websites on the internet, including www.floridadisaster.org or www.fema.gov.

This year Hazardous weather awareness week is being observed February the 11th through the 15th.

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