Hurricane Preparation Tips for Storm Season
The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before hurricane season begins. The second-best time to prepare for a hurricane is now.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially stretches six months from June through November. However, storm data from 1991-2020 shows that August through October produces an average of 11 to 12 named storms, accounting for the bulk of the total average 14 named storms an entire six-month long storm season delivers.
93% of hurricane landfalls along the U.S. Gulf or East coasts have occurred from August through October, according to NOAA.
How Do You Prepare for a Hurricane?
If you’re a new resident of hurricane-prone areas, you may be feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to prepare for storm season. Your state or city websites likely contain detailed resources you can check out. In this article, we’ll give a high-level overview of hurricane prep essentials.
Know Your Zone
If you live near the Gulf or Atlantic coasts, you can check to see if your home is in a hurricane evacuation zone. A quick Google search for “know your zone, [state name]” will likely bring up an interactive map like this Florida one: Florida Hurricane Evacuation Zones.
Put Together an Emergency Kit
A basic emergency kit should include the following:
- Non-perishable food
- Manual can opener
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Extra batteries
- Whistle (to signal for help)
- Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
- Plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape (to shelter in place)
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
- Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
- Gas cans and gasoline (for generators or vehicles)
Before hurricane season approaches, test emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators, and storm shutters, to ensure it’s all in working order. It’s a good idea to fill up your extra gas cans before a storm is announced, to ensure you don’t run out of fuel if you must evacuate (and to avoid those storm price surges at the pump!).
Create a Family Emergency Plan
Before an emergency happens, sit down with family or close friends and decide how you'll get in contact with each other, where you'll go, and what you'll do in an emergency.
Brush Up on National Weather Service (NWS) Terms
People often get tripped up on the difference between a storm watch and a storm warning.
Watch
A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location, and/or timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so that those who need to set their plans in motion can do so.
Warning
A warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occurring. A warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property.
View the NWS weather terms glossary here.
Hurricane Evacuation Tips
As we shared above, it’s important to know what evacuation zone you live in, if any. This will help you learn your evacuation routes ahead of time. It’s a good idea to practice evacuating, especially if you have kids or pets. Practice will help you stay calm during the real thing.
Identify where you might stay overnight if needed. Have enough supplies for your household, including medication, disinfectant supplies and pet supplies in your go bag or car trunk.
Make sure your car’s gas tank is full and consider filling up a couple 5 gallon gas cans with extra fuel. This will help you avoid long lines at your local gas station during an evacuation order, as well as ensure you don’t run out of fuel if you’re stuck in a traffic jam on your way out of town.
During a storm event, always listen to your local emergency managers. They will provide the latest recommendations based on the threat to your community and appropriate safety measures.
Remember, historic data can show us trends and averages, but there’s no guarantee how the 2025 hurricane season will pan out. Have your hurricane emergency plan ready and keep an eye on the forecasts. For more hurricane prep tips, visit the National Weather Service.
Stay safe out there!
