Unlike flash floods, hurricanes give you days of warning, but that time is only useful if you have a plan ready before the storm is bearing down on you.
Know Your Evacuation Zone
Before hurricane season even begins, find out whether you live in a mandatory evacuation zone and identify at least two possible routes inland, since coastal roads often become gridlocked as a storm approaches.
Building a Hurricane Kit
- Water and non-perishable food for at least 3-7 days per person.
- Battery or hand-crank radio for updates if power and cell service go down.
- Flashlights and batteries, avoid candles due to fire risk during storms.
- First aid supplies and any needed medications, at least a two-week supply.
- Cash, since ATMs and card readers may be unavailable for days after landfall.
- Copies of important documents in a waterproof container: ID, insurance policies, medical records.
Protecting Your Home
- Install storm shutters or board up windows ahead of time, plywood takes longer to cut and mount than most people expect.
- Clear gutters and drains so rainfall doesn’t pool against your foundation.
- Bring in or secure outdoor furniture, unsecured items become projectiles in hurricane-force wind.
Tracking the Storm as It Approaches
As a hurricane nears, checking a real-time wind map helps you understand how far out the strongest winds extend, while a rain map shows which bands are already producing heavy rainfall and potential flooding, well before the eye makes landfall.
During and After the Storm
Stay away from windows during peak winds, don’t go outside during the calm of the eye (the backside winds return suddenly), and after the storm passes, watch for downed power lines and avoid floodwater, which may be electrically charged or contaminated.
Start Before the Season, Not Before the Storm
The single biggest mistake is preparing when a storm is named. By then shops are stripped, fuel queues are long, and contractors are booked. Anything requiring a purchase or a trade should be done at the start of the season.
Know Your Zone and Your Plan
- Find out whether you are in an evacuation zone and which one. Orders are issued by zone, so knowing yours turns an announcement into an instruction you can act on immediately.
- Decide in advance where you would go and by which route, assuming heavy traffic and closed roads.
- Agree an out-of-area contact. Local networks fail; a relative elsewhere can coordinate.
- Plan for pets. Many public shelters do not accept them, so identify options early.
Supplies
Plan for at least three days without power or shops, and preferably a week.
- Water: around 4 litres per person per day, including for washing.
- Food that needs no cooking or refrigeration, plus a manual tin opener.
- Medication — a two-week supply, since pharmacies may be shut or unreachable.
- Power: torches, spare batteries, charged power banks. Avoid candles.
- A battery or wind-up radio, which works when mobile networks fail.
- Cash in small denominations. Card systems fail without power.
- Documents — insurance, identification, medical records — in a waterproof bag, plus digital copies.
The House
- Clear gutters and drains. Cheap, quick, and prevents a great deal of water damage.
- Trim overhanging branches well before the season.
- Identify everything loose outdoors — furniture, bins, planters, trampolines — and know where it will be stored.
- Photograph every room for insurance, and store the images in the cloud.
- Know how to shut off water, gas and electricity, and keep any tool needed to do so nearby.
The Rule That Matters Most
If an evacuation order is issued, leave. Storm surge is the leading cause of hurricane deaths, it is not visible on radar, and a well-built house is no protection against it. Evacuation orders are issued by zone based on surge modelling, not on wind speed, which is why a lower-category storm can still require you to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I prepare for hurricane season?
At the start of the season rather than when a storm is named. Once a hurricane is forecast, shops run out of supplies, fuel queues build and contractors are unavailable.
How much water should I store?
Around 4 litres per person per day, covering drinking and basic washing, for at least three days and preferably a week.
Why do evacuation orders matter more than wind category?
Because evacuation zones are based on storm surge modelling rather than wind speed. Surge is the leading cause of hurricane deaths, is invisible on radar, and a structurally sound house offers no protection against it.
What documents should I prepare?
Insurance policies, identification and medical records, kept in a waterproof bag with digital copies stored online so they remain accessible if the physical copies are lost.
Why keep cash during a hurricane?
Card payment systems and cash machines depend on power and connectivity, both of which commonly fail. Small denominations are more useful, as change may be unavailable.
What should I do about pets?
Plan early, because many public shelters do not accept animals. Identify pet-friendly accommodation or arrangements with contacts outside the area before the season begins.
In Conclusion
Hurricane preparedness is really a race against time you’re given in advance, use it. A stocked kit, a clear evacuation route, and a habit of checking live storm data are what separate a stressful evacuation from a genuine emergency.
