Cory Schwisow, director of Monroe County Emergency Mangement, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
Although the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is nearing its end, Monroe County residents should not put away their emergency preparedness plans just yet.
An area of interest had developed just off the East Coast, although most forecast models showed it moving away from the region. With approximately 28 days remaining in hurricane season, residents should maintain their preparedness efforts throughout the year.
“Let’s just live by those plans throughout the entire year because those plans may work for other types of no-notice emergencies,” Schwisow said. “Instead of drinking all your water and putting your stores away, let’s just keep them prepared and live in that mindset.”
While the hurricane season has been relatively quiet, Schwisow said the Florida Keys recently experienced some of the worst king tide flooding the area has seen in a long time.
He said residents contacted his office expressing surprise at the unusually high water levels, particularly because the flooding occurred without a tropical storm or hurricane.
Several factors contributed to the flooding, including a low-pressure system off the coast and strong winds during the peak king tide period.
Schwisow explained that winds pushed water out of Florida Bay. When those winds weakened Wednesday afternoon, water began flowing back into the bay at the same time another king tide was occurring.
The result was significant flooding throughout the Keys, with prolonged impacts in the Upper Keys.
He noted that the Florida Keys face unique challenges when dealing with flooding because of the area’s underlying limestone and coral foundation.
“In some other areas, you can install some pumps, you can install some physical barriers like tiger dams that create this water seal, and they work really well,” Schwisow said. “But what happens down here is when that water table rises, we have a limestone and a coral base here in the islands. That water is actually going to come up from the ground.”
He said attempting to block off an area with barriers can actually create a situation where water becomes trapped, essentially turning a neighborhood into a swimming pool.
Schwisow praised the community’s resilience but emphasized that residents should take flooding seriously and avoid driving through flooded roadways.
He said numerous vehicles were flooded during the recent high-water events, including some that attempted to travel through flooded areas and others that were parked in locations prone to flooding.
Residents should seek alternate routes whenever possible rather than testing whether their vehicles can make it through standing water.
Schwisow also pointed out that high tides can prevent water from draining through storm systems, creating additional problems when rainfall occurs.
Looking ahead, emergency management officials are also preparing for the possibility of unusual winter weather associated with a strong El Niño pattern.
Schwisow said a workshop planned for later in November will include representatives from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service partners to discuss potential severe weather threats during the winter months.
He said forecasters are anticipating a cooler and wetter winter, with the potential for stronger nor’easters developing farther south than usual.
Those storms can bring damaging winds, waterspouts and even tornadoes that could move ashore.
“We’re going to talk about some of those threats and what we can do to protect our residents and our visitors,” Schwisow said.
He emphasized that communication and advance planning will be especially important, including identifying safe locations for people who may live in vulnerable structures or areas.
In addition to weather preparedness, Monroe County Emergency Management is partnering with Volunteer Florida to offer a free FEMA-certified training course on managing spontaneous volunteers during disasters.
The course is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m. at the Monroe County Operations Center in Marathon. It is designed for nonprofit organizations, volunteer groups and community organizations that assist before, during and after emergencies. Registration is required.
Disasters often generate an overwhelming response from people wanting to donate supplies and volunteer their time. However, managing those donations and volunteers requires coordination.
Donations can include items that are not necessarily useful to a disaster-stricken community, making it important to have a system for directing resources where they are needed most.
“Support comes from all different directions during a disaster post-storm, and we want to make sure that our team can manage the mass, I guess, rush of volunteers and donations,” Schwisow said.
He said organizations such as the Community Organizations Active in Disaster group, United Way and faith-based organizations play important roles in coordinating those efforts.
Schwisow also addressed the upcoming G20 Summit, scheduled for Dec. 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami.
The gathering of world leaders could affect traffic patterns and travel throughout the Miami area. Schwisow said roadways and turnpikes may be temporarily closed as dignitaries travel, and Miami-Dade Emergency Management plans to activate its Emergency Operations Center.
Monroe County is coordinating with Miami-Dade officials and could provide assistance if needed. Although no travel disruptions affecting the Florida Keys are currently anticipated, Schwisow said the county remains prepared to respond if circumstances change.
He encouraged residents to monitor announcements about potential disruptions, particularly if they plan to travel through the Miami area during the summit.
With Veterans Day approaching Nov. 11, Schwisow also acknowledged the holiday and the closure of county offices.
Ultimately, his message to residents remains the same: preparedness should not end when hurricane season does.
“Just stay prepared, and we’re not out of the woods just yet,” Schwisow said. “I won’t make that call until the National Weather Service and the Hurricane Center make that call.”