The winter of 2009/10 is sure to go down in history for many Floridians as one of the most memorable ones ever, not due to the economy but due to the shocking cold snap that’s hit a great many places across the globe. Many people—mostly those not from this beautiful state—associate Florida with beautiful summer weather: blue skies, warm breezes, and the like, but Florida also has some pretty severe weather at times.

Normally, Florida enjoys a lovely subtropical to tropical climate due to its extensive coastline; however, the sunshine state is known to get an occasional cold snap in the winter. But this winter there has been record cold temperatures in some areas of the state with Key West reporting a 131 year low of 47 degrees.

Florida has more yearly rainfall than anywhere else in the country is also known as the lighting capital of the US. Exciting additions to this selection of weather are moderate tornadoes and not-so moderate hurricanes, having more tornadoes/waterspouts per square mile than any other state and being the state with the most incidences of hurricanes.

Many of the ways that home owners can protect themselves against the heat of the summer would also protect them from the consequences of this winter’s excessive chill. By ensuring that your home has adequate insulation, not only will your home not absorb so much outside heat in the summer but you can also keep in more of your home’s heating in the winter, even in a cold snap. Likewise, weather stripping that’s been well maintained will also help keep the warm and cool temperatures where you want them.

The best way to deal with any possible weather that is likely to come your way during any part of the year is to ensure that your house is well maintained in general. This will help to avoid any accidents and injury if it so happens that there is extremely warm or cold weather, if there is a hurricane or a tornado, or excessive rain and flooding. Something else that home owners should consider is having and maintaining emergency supplies like water, flashlights with additional batteries, pre-packaged food, and a well-stocked first aid kit.

Always take the advice of officials during more extreme weather when it is advised that you leave your home, particularly in regards to hurricanes. A well prepared home owner can ride out much of the less extreme weather that can be found in Florida; and being well prepared in case of emergency lets you enjoy your beautiful location even more.