The forecast keeps changing, schools are closing and a hurricane is approaching. Then another problem comes up: your time-sharing exchange is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Do you still have to make the exchange, or can you evacuate with your child?
Parenting plans set the normal time-sharing schedule. Severe weather, however, can affect roads and evacuation plans. When an exchange cannot happen as scheduled, you may face questions about how your parenting plan applies during the emergency.
Can you evacuate with your child?
A temporary evacuation does not automatically qualify as parental relocation under Florida law. The state’s relocation law generally covers a change in your child’s principal residence of at least 50 miles for 60 consecutive days or more. The law excludes temporary absences from that period.
The length of the evacuation and your actions during that period could become relevant if a dispute develops. For example, conflict may follow if a parent withholds the child’s location or prevents contact with the other parent after reaching a safe destination.
What happens to missed time-sharing after the storm?
Florida law does not create an automatic rule that replaces every day of time-sharing missed because of severe weather. Your parenting plan and any agreement with your co-parent may affect what happens after the storm.
You and your co-parent may have different expectations about make-up time. Written messages can show whether you agreed to a temporary schedule change. If your parenting plan does not cover weather-related disruptions, missed time could become a separate dispute.
Does your parenting plan account for hurricane season?
Weather-related disruptions can raise practical questions that the regular weekly schedule does not answer. Parenting plan terms related to hurricane season may cover:
- Emergency communication between you and your co-parent
- Temporary changes to the usual exchange location
- Travel outside the area during an evacuation
- Contact with your child while staying elsewhere
- Plans for exchanges when severe weather makes travel unsafe
These terms can give both parents a shared point of reference when severe weather changes the normal schedule. A plan that leaves these issues open may create more room for disagreement when quick decisions become necessary.
When hurricane season tests a parenting plan
A hurricane can expose gaps that no one considered when your parenting plan was created. The plan’s terms and the facts surrounding a disrupted exchange can shape a later time-sharing dispute.
Looking at the plan’s emergency and travel terms can show whether it addresses the problem that caused the disagreement. If the wording leaves the issue unresolved, the storm may reveal a gap in the parenting plan that could lead to similar disputes during future emergencies.