For the benefit of non-Florida residents like me, what is it typically like traveling through Florida immediately before, or after a hurricane? I have no intention of trying to drive along I-10 or I-75 as a system makes landfall, but I'm wondering what traffic on the roads is like, availability of gasoline, hotels, restaurants and the like. I know what local law enforcement weather-related travel warnings mean where I live, but I do not know what a "hurricane state of emergency" means for Florida residents. I'm not concerned about what is it like at the Disney parks or resorts. My worry is getting through Florida by car, not getting stuck somewhere, and then successfully getting back home. Thanks.
It really depends. If a major hurricane is threatening a large Florida metropolitan area, there can be gridlock from people fleeing the path with gas stations running out of gas. But this is rare.
If it's a weaker storm headed into an area with minimal population, or even a stronger storm headed to a less-populated area, you may not even know there was a weather event.
If there are traffic issues, they generally are people leaving the path. After a storm is over, roads will generally be quickly cleared of any debris and back to normal. The Interstates in Florida are designed for lots of rain.
The impact will vary on how fast a storm is moving. If a hurricane or tropical storm slowly moves across the state, there are more chances of road disruption.
A hurricane state of emergency really means to pay attention. Some areas may require evacuation if the storm is of a certain strength. If you live at the beach, you may have to leave. Schools may be canceled. Evacuation centers may need to be set up. Utility crews have to be ready. Bridges may close.
Every business in the state and the government will generally have some kind of hurricane plan. It may be to close early. It may be to call everyone in to work.
After a storm hits, people who are unaffected quickly resume their activities. The biggest widespread issues are generally power outages. Hopefully, any swath of damage will be narrow.
Again, all this varies on how strong, how big and how quickly a storm moves through.