Hurricane prep has a deadline you do not control. Once a storm is named, the shelves empty of water and plywood inside a day, gas lines form, and the window for boarding up closes with the weather. All of it is cheaper and actually in stock in May. The strategy is to move the work out of the 72 hours before landfall, because that is when it is hardest to do.
How a storm goes for you is decided by water and by power. A storm's category describes wind speed only, while surge and inland flooding are what officials plan evacuations around, so know your zone and go when they say go. Standard homeowners policies also do not cover flood damage, and a new flood policy generally takes about 30 days to take effect. On power, the hazard to understand is carbon monoxide, which is why every generator ships with directions about where it may be placed and run. Those directions are the ones that decide the question.
Stock at least one gallon of water per person per day and plan for several days without power or a passable road. Confirm current guidance at Ready.gov and your evacuation zone with your county emergency management office.
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Water & Food
Plan one gallon of water per person per day, and count pets. Everything here should be usable with no power, no refrigeration, and no working stove.
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Emergency Water Storage Containers
One gallon per person per day covers drinking and basic sanitation. Fill the bathtub and any large containers before landfall for flushing and washing water.
Ready.gov and CPSC both put fuel-burning appliances outdoors only. Generators, camp stoves, and charcoal all produce carbon monoxide, which is why a battery-powered CO alarm belongs in any plan that includes a generator.
CPSC guidance: outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust pointed away from doors, windows, and vents, and never in a garage or carport even with the door open.
Photograph everything and keep copies in the cloud as well as in a waterproof bag. Cash matters because card readers and ATMs go down with the power.
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Copies of IDs, Insurance & Deeds
Photograph everything and store it in the cloud too. Paper in a waterproof bag still fails if the bag is inside a house you cannot get back to.
Bring
Flood Insurance Policy Info
Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, and FEMA notes a new NFIP policy generally takes 30 days to take effect. Review coverage with your insurer well before a storm is on the map.
Bring
Emergency Contact List
Bring
Cash in Small Bills
Card readers and ATMs go down with the power and nobody has change. Small bills are what actually buy gas, ice, and food afterward.
1Do the shopping in the first week of the season rather than when a storm is named. Water, batteries, tarps, and plywood are the first things gone and the last restocked.
2Fill the car and every water container you own while the forecast still says maybe. Both become long lines the moment a watch becomes a warning.
3Turn the fridge and freezer to their coldest settings a day out and freeze jugs of water. Cold mass holds temperature far longer once the power drops.
4Photograph or video every room before the storm, including inside closets and cabinets. A dated walkthrough makes an insurance claim dramatically simpler afterward.
Common questions
How much water should I store for a hurricane?
Ready.gov's figure is at least one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation, with several days' supply, plus water for pets. Filling the bathtub and large containers before landfall gives you non-drinking water for flushing and cleaning. Check Ready.gov for current guidance on quantities, storage, and how long a supply to hold.
When should I evacuate for a hurricane?
When local officials tell you to, based on your evacuation zone rather than the storm's category. The National Hurricane Center is explicit that category ratings describe wind speed only, while storm surge and inland flooding cause most hurricane deaths. Look up your zone through your county emergency management office before the season, and leave early enough that the roads are still moving.
How do I use a generator safely after a storm?
CPSC guidance is outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust directed away from doors, windows, and vents, and never in a garage, carport, porch, or shed even with the door open. Install battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every level, let the generator cool before refueling, keep it dry, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for connecting appliances rather than back-feeding the house wiring.