Southwest Florida Southwest Florida Southwest Florida is the region along the southwest Gulf coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is known for its sugar white sand beaches, lush tropical landscape, and winter resort economy. Definitions of the region vary, though its boundaries are generally considered to put it south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee, and mostly north of the Everglades and to include Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. For some purposes, the inland counties of DeSoto, Glades, and Hendry, and the thinly populated mainland section of Monroe County, south of Collier, are also
Effects of the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane in Florida 25 others stayed at a newly constructed elementary school. A number of African Americans took shelter in a school building in West Jupiter. Strong winds struck southern Florida as the hurricane moved ashore, with three unofficial reports of 100 mph (160 km/h). In Miami to the south of the center, winds reached 78 mph (126 km/h), and farther south, Key West reported winds of only . The eye at landfall was wide, and after moving inland crossed Lake Okeechobee, where a calm was reported for 30 minutes. Winds at Canal Point, adjacent to the lake, were estimated as high as