Hurricane Irma formed in late August 2017 and strengthened into one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record. It caused widespread destruction as it passed through the Caribbean islands and Florida, leaving millions without power or shelter. After making landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, Irma weakened as it moved north, but still brought flooding and damage to other states. The recovery efforts cost billions, and many Florida residents had to evacuate again shortly after when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico.

1. THE TIMELINE
OF HURRICANE IRMA
The 2017 hurricane season has been a tumultuous
one, robbing thousands of Americans and people living in
the Caribbean of food, water, shelter and power for days and
weeks at a time. Hurricane Irma was one of the largest
tragedies, running up through Florida, wreaking havoc
and bringing immense floodwaters that devastated many
cities. Continue reading to see the timeline of events of
this massive storm.

2. THE STORM BUILDS
Irma brews in the Atlantic on August 30.1
Over the
next several days, it becomes the strongest hurricane ever
recorded on the open Atlantic, with 185 mile-per-hour
winds. Irma then sweeps across Antigua and Barbuda, Saint
Martin, Saint Barthemely, Anguilla, the Virgin Islands,
Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and Turks
and Caicos. Six and a half million people are asked to
evacuate Florida,2
but many choose to hunker down instead
of leaving their homes.
1
https://www.weather.gov/tae/Irma_technical_summary
2
http://www.npr.org/2017/09/09/549802448/one-third-of-florida-residents-told-to-
evacuate-before-hurricane-irma-makes-land

3. LANDFALL IN
FLORIDA
Irma hits the Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. on Sunday,
September 10 as a Category 4 storm with winds raging at 130
miles per hour.3
The hurricane development is broadcast
live on every major news network as the wind and rain begins
its assault on Floridian homes. It continues traveling north
across the state, followed by a storm surge in some areas.
Eventually, a weakened Irma also affects Georgia, South
Carolina and Alabama.
3
https://www.weather.gov/tae/Irma2017

4. THE IMMEDIATE
IMPACT
In the immediate aftermath, 60 percent of Floridians
are left without power.4
Additional curfews are put in place,
including in Miami-Dade, to facilitate the cleanup process.
People try to return home, but those looking to come back
to the Keys are turned away for safety reasons. Floodwaters
and debris pose a significant threat of contamination or
electrocution to the victims.
4
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41175312

5. COSTLY CLEANUP
After the immediate threat to human lives, officials begin
to assess the monetary damages of Irma. Many speculate the
combined damage of Harvey and Irma will be comparable
to the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe that annihilated New
Orleans. Many victims make use of FEMA assistance
during the recovery process, and donations start to come in
from throughout the country. First responders continue to
remove debris as quickly as possible to return life to at least
a semblance of normalcy.

6. HURRICANE SEASON
CONTINUES
Before the world can catch its breath, hurricane Maria
sweeps across the Caribbean, following on Irma’s heels. Maria
strikes Puerto Rico, causing massive structural damage and
power outages throughout the island. With limited access to
drinking water, shelter and electricity, thousands of hurricane
victims flee to Florida for safety, adding to the toll of this
hurricane season.5
5
http://www.npr.org/2017/10/13/557108484/-get-us-out-of-here-amid-broken-
infrastructure-puerto-ricans-flee-to-florida

7. WILDER RV RESORT
Like many places in Florida, some of the Wilder RV
Resorts were affected by Irma and the flooding that followed.
However, we persisted through the storm and continue to
welcome residents in the surrounding area to our RV resorts.
If you would like more information about our residences,
please contact us online.