Essential Supplies
Assemble your hurricane kit before the season starts. Stores sell out fast once a storm forms.
Water
1 gallon per person per day for at least 7 days. Fill bathtubs before the storm for non-drinking use (flushing toilets). Freeze water bottles — they'll keep your freezer cold if power goes out and provide drinking water as they melt.
Food
7 days of non-perishable food. Canned goods (with a manual can opener), peanut butter, crackers, dried fruit, granola bars. Don't forget pet food.
Power & Light
Flashlights with extra batteries (not candles — fire risk with gas leaks). Battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio. Phone charger and power bank. Consider a portable generator (never run indoors).
Medical
7-day supply of medications. First aid kit. Any medical devices that need power (CPAP, nebulizer) — have battery backups. Copies of prescriptions.
Documents
Insurance policies, IDs, deeds, birth certificates — in a waterproof bag. Take photos of everything and store them in the cloud. Have cash on hand ($200+ in small bills — ATMs won't work without power).
Fuel
Keep your car's gas tank full when a storm enters the Gulf or forms off the Atlantic coast. Gas stations run out or lose power. Top off propane tanks for grills (cooking backup).
Know Your Evacuation Zone
Most coastal counties publish evacuation zone maps (Zone A, B, C). Zone A is closest to the water and evacuates first. Know your zone before hurricane season. Search "[your county] evacuation zone" online or call your local emergency management office.
Plan your route inland. Identify two routes in case one is blocked. Know where shelters are along the way. If officials say evacuate, go. Storm surge kills more people than wind, and you cannot survive it by staying.
When a Hurricane Watch Is Issued
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74+ mph) are possible within 48 hours. This is your action window.
Review your plan
Confirm your evacuation route, shelter location, and who's responsible for what in your household.
Secure your home
Install hurricane shutters or board windows with plywood. Bring in outdoor furniture, trash cans, and anything that could become a projectile. Clear storm drains near your property.
Fill prescriptions and gas up
Get medications, top off the gas tank, withdraw cash. These things get hard to do once a warning is issued.
When a Hurricane Warning Is Issued
Hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours. If you're in an evacuation zone and officials have ordered an evacuation, leave now.
If you're sheltering in place: stay indoors, away from windows. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor during the worst of the storm. Do not go outside during the eye — the back half of the storm is coming. Keep your phone charged and monitor NWS updates.
Should You Board Windows or Buy Shutters?
Plywood boarding is the budget option — 5/8" exterior-grade plywood cut to fit each window, pre-drilled and labeled well before the season so you're not cutting boards in a panic with a storm offshore. Permanent hurricane shutters or impact-rated windows cost significantly more upfront but install in minutes instead of hours and don't require storing large plywood sheets year-round. Either option needs to be actually in place before a Hurricane Warning is issued — home improvement stores reliably sell out of plywood, batteries, and generators within a day or two of a storm entering the forecast cone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I evacuate even if I'm not in a mandatory zone?
Consider it if you're in a mobile or manufactured home, a flood-prone area, or a structure with known wind vulnerability — mandatory zones are a floor, not a ceiling, on who should leave.
What should I do with my pool before a hurricane?
Don't drain it — an empty pool can actually pop out of the ground from groundwater pressure during heavy rain. Add extra chlorine, turn off power to pool equipment, and let it be; a slightly dirty pool afterward beats a cracked one.
Is it safe to stay for a Category 1 or 2 storm?
Category alone isn't the deciding factor — storm surge risk at your specific address matters more. A Category 1 with major surge exposure can be more dangerous to a coastal home than a Category 3 well inland.
How soon should hurricane prep start each year?
Before June 1. Building your kit and confirming your evacuation zone in the off-season means you're not competing with everyone else for the same supplies once a storm actually forms.
Track Hurricanes on Your Phone
StormCast tracks every active NHC storm with live forecast tracks, wind speed data, and satellite imagery. You'll get push notifications for hurricane watches and warnings, plus proximity alerts when a storm comes within 500 miles of your location.
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A note on this guide: This is general safety information, not medical or professional emergency advice, and specific criteria can vary by region. In an actual emergency, call 911 and follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service.