The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins this Saturday and to help Floridians prepare, the first Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will also kick off.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, consumers can stock up on supplies and pay no sales taxes. If you miss the first tax holiday, the second one will begin on Saturday Aug. 24 and will run through Friday, Sept. 6.
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Local 10 Hurricane Specialist and Storm Surge Expert Michael Lowry discussed the 2024 hurricane season predictions from the team of scientists at NOAA.
The team predicted an 85% chance of an above-average Atlantic hurricane season in 2024, with 17-25 named storms and 8-13 hurricanes, with 4-7 becoming Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes. The 30-year (1991-2020) seasonal averages are 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 Category 3 or stronger hurricanes.
There are several items included on this year’s tax-exempt list along with flashlights, generators, batteries, pet food and several household products.
Below is a list of all qualifying items:
Selling for $20 or less
•Reusable ice (reusable ice packs)
Selling for $40 or less
• Candles
• Flashlights
• Lanterns
Selling for $50 or less
• Portable self-powered radios, two-way radios, or weather-band radios
• Gas or diesel fuel tanks
• Batteries, including rechargeable batteries, listed sizes only: ○ AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, 9-volt
Selling for $60 or less
• Nonelectric food storage coolers
• Portable power banks
Selling for $70 or less
•Smoke detectors or smoke alarms
• Fire extinguishers
• Carbon monoxide detectors
Selling for $100 or less
• Tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting
• Ground anchor systems
• Ratchet straps
• Tie-down kits
• Visqueen, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths and other flexible waterproof sheeting
Selling for $3,000 or less
• Portable generators used to provide light or communications or to preserve food in a power outage
For further information on qualifying items, including supplies for pets during a storm, please call the Florida Department of Revenue at 850-488-6800. For more information click on this link.