What the Southeast Can Learn from Historic Storms

Recent hurricanes exposed a defining reality for the Southeastern built environment: updated codes strengthen new construction, but older buildings still fail first. From the warnings of rapid intensification to inland flooding and envelope breaches seen in Hurricane Helene and the devastation benchmarked by Hurricane Katrina, the path to real resilience is clearer than ever—targeted retrofits, stronger envelopes, smarter drainage, fewer losses.

In the Southeast region of the United States, our building codes have had the benefit of 25 years of lessons learned since Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma (2005). However, the events of the past two seasons – Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Melissa (2025), and this year’s inland severe-weather outbreaks – show that the built environment still has gaps in resiliency, especially as storms impact our older stock of buildings. 

Hurricane Helene resulted in 219 deaths and $79.6 billion in estimated damages (NOAA, 2025). Helene remains a defining recent event: strong coastal winds, widespread glazing and cladding failures, and significant inland flooding. As we review failures with clients, we are consistently reminded that new building code improvements do not equal resiliency in older buildings.  

Inland flooding should not be overlooked. 
Helene became the third hurricane to strike Florida’s Big Bend area in a little over a year. The storm generated storm surges reaching up to 15 feet along the Big Bend coastline and about six feet as far south as St. Petersburg. Georgia’s agricultural industry suffered billions of dollars in losses. The most devastating effects, however, came from record-breaking rainfall—exceeding 30 inches in some places—and widespread flooding in western North Carolina. 

This year’s storms reinforce rapidly intensifying behavior. 
Melissa’s rapid escalation to a Category 5 hurricane just before landfall exposed the peril of short lead times, extreme intensity, and lack of advance preparation. The storm claimed 102 lives and inflicted catastrophic wind and flood damage across Jamaica. 

Water intrusion remains costly. 
Even when the roof stays intact and floodwaters stay outside, water intrusion from vulnerable building envelope systems can still trigger millions in losses for property owners and insurers. 

• Aging buildings need targeted retrofits. Many structures predate significant code changes; we cannot rely on minimum compliance to deliver resilience and immediate functionality after the storm. Planning and budgeting to identify property risks and implement improvements will help protect building assets in the long term.
• Wind-borne debris and water intrusion remain our major threats. Glazing upgrades and protective systems deliver large benefits during high-wind events. Building envelope upgrades can lessen the potential for water intrusion and impact-related damage.
• Local and general flooding protection can be improved. If you’re in a flood zone, near new development, or relying on an aging stormwater system, managing surface water runoff and functional drainage systems is critical. Active or passive floodproofing measures can be used for particularly exposed or low areas around the building.

• Perform periodic assessments of the building envelope, including paint/coatings, windows and doors, cladding, roofing, and sealants. Annual maintenance is key.
• Identify priority retrofits for aging or high-value buildings to include in asset management plans.  

The off-season is when meaningful improvements happen. With the Southeast’s growing population and aging inventory, strengthening these systems now is the best decision investment owners can make.