A curious and resilient girl born during a devastating hurricane in Rudder, Florida. She carries the weight of her namesake storm, causing townspeople to treat her with suspicion. Wanda shares a mystical connection with bioluminescent water, adapting to the increasingly dangerous environment as society breaks down around her.

A formerly adventurous architecture student who grew up sailing with her mother. After losing her mother to a hurricane in Puerto Rico, she marries Kirby and moves to Florida. Pregnant with Wanda, Frida experiences severe anxiety, isolation, and regret as another catastrophic storm bears down on her new home.

A hardworking lineman living in Rudder, Florida. He lacks emotional availability and struggles to communicate with his family, often dismissing his wife's anxieties and retreating into his dangerous work restoring power after severe weather events. He deeply loves his children but struggles to express his affection.

Kirby's son and Wanda's older brother. Initially a resentful 12-year-old who clashes with his stepmother, Lucas matures into a quiet, careful young man who works alongside his father as a lineman. He applies to college secretly, hoping to use education and his technical skills to save his dying town.

A retired biology teacher and dedicated survivalist residing in a fortified blue house in Rudder. While others ignore the reality of climate change, she stockpiles seeds, maintains backup generators, and carefully studies the shifting local ecosystem. She is highly capable, patient, and intensely protective.

A tranquil and protective survivor who leads an unlikely community of drifters through the flooded areas of Florida. She is deeply resourceful and possesses a forgiving, steady nature that balances out the caution of those around her. She works hard to build an interdependent community in the harsh environment.

Kirby's eight-year-old son and Lucas's younger brother. He is sensitive, highly attuned to shifts in the weather, and easily intimidated by his older brother. Unlike Lucas, Flip harbors a quiet, budding affection for their stepmother.

A schoolmate of Wanda's who possesses grace and poise. While the other children superstitiously bully Wanda for her connection to the town's ruin, Brie stands up for her and attempts to stop the harassment.

A hostile young boy who bullies Wanda, blaming her for the town's slow demise. He frequently ignores his twin sister's requests to leave others alone, exhibiting a dangerous streak of aggression.

A hardworking lineman who braves catastrophic weather alongside Kirby and Lucas. She ultimately decides to leave the dying town of Rudder for Wyoming, reflecting the mass exodus from the area.

Lucas's high school sweetheart. She has moved away to study in Chicago and travel in Europe, representing a world outside of Rudder that seems oblivious to its impending collapse.

An elderly fisherman who travels with an unlikely group of unrelated survivors. He helps share the work of survival in a harsh, flooded landscape.

A highly skilled trapper surviving in the remnants of Florida. She travels with a small, close-knit community to protect her child and share resources.

The son of a skilled trapper, growing up within a small, interdependent community of survivors in the flooded ruins of Florida.

An expectant mother surviving in the flooded ruins alongside her partner and a small group of drifters. She relies on the community's interdependence for safety.

An expectant father traveling with an unlikely found family. He works together with the others to ensure their collective survival.

Frida's mother, who raised her daughter on a sailboat, traveling from island to island. She instilled a love of the sea and an adventurous spirit in Frida before her life was claimed by Hurricane Poppy.

Kirby's ex-wife and the mother of Lucas and Flip. Her marriage to Kirby dissolved due to his demanding work schedule and emotional distance.

A friend of Kirby's who decides to leave Rudder and relocate to Montana. He sells off his possessions, including an old, algae-crusted canoe that catches Wanda's attention.

A tiny, black feral kitten rescued by Kirby. Fed with kitten formula and doted upon by Lucas and Wanda, the vulnerable animal represents a small source of life and joy in a decaying world.