How to prepare for hurricane season: a practical, timed checklist.

Hurricane preparation has a hard truth built into it: the most important tasks have lead times measured in weeks, not hours. Flood insurance takes 30 days to activate. Shutters take weeks to install. Generators disappear when a watch is posted. This checklist is organized around those constraints.

• Buy or review flood insurance. Standard homeowner's policies don't cover storm surge or flood damage. NFIP policies have a mandatory 30-day waiting period. Purchase or review your existing policy now — post-May purchase will not cover you for storms in June or July. See our flood insurance guide for coverage details.
• Know your evacuation zone. Look it up by address at your county or parish emergency management website. Write it down. Tell everyone in your household. This is not optional — it is the single most important piece of information for your safety during an active storm.
• Purchase a generator. Supply collapses when a named storm enters the Gulf. Portable generators ($400–$1,500) and dual-fuel models are the practical choice for most households. For standby generators, contact an electrician now — installation takes weeks and books out months during the season. See our generator guide for sizing help.
• Install or inspect hurricane shutters. Accordion shutters, roll-down shutters, or impact panels need contractor installation. Schedule now — installers are booked through August by mid-season. If you have plywood panels, pre-cut, pre-drill, and label them now so they can go up in under an hour when needed.
• Inspect your roof. A storm-damaged roof with missing shingles, compromised flashing, or aging sealant will fail at wind speeds well below the storm's peak. A roofer's inspection and any needed repairs are far cheaper than a storm damage claim — and far faster than the post-storm repair queue.
• Document your home and belongings. Walk through your home with your phone and record a video of every room, every appliance, and items of value. Store the video in cloud storage (not just on a local device). This video is your insurance claim evidence if the structure is destroyed.
• Assemble your emergency kit. See the kit section below. Kits take an afternoon to assemble properly — doing it before the season means you are not scrambling for the same supplies as every other coastal resident when a storm forms.
• Plan your evacuation route. Know where you are going (a specific address — not just "north"), how you are getting there, and what you are bringing. Gas stations along major evacuation routes run out during mass evacuations. Consider filling up before leaving, carrying a gas can, or identifying stations well off the primary route. See our evacuation planning guide for full route planning detail.

• Test your generator. Run it for 30 minutes under load. Check the oil level, confirm the fuel supply, and verify the extension cords and outlets work. A generator that hasn't run in 12 months may not start when needed.
• Refresh perishable kit items. Water stored in plastic containers degrades over time. Rotate stored food and medication. Replace anything expired since last season.
• Confirm your evacuation destination is still available. If you're planning to stay with family, confirm. If you identified a hotel, look at their cancellation policy — book refundable now for peak-season dates if you're in a high-risk zone.
• Download offline maps for your evacuation route. Cell networks and data service degrade rapidly under storm conditions and high traffic. Download your evacuation route in Google Maps or a mapping app that supports offline navigation before you need it.

• Follow your local emergency manager's orders. If an evacuation order is issued for your zone, leave. Do not wait to see how the storm develops. Roads in surge zones can flood before conditions deteriorate from wind.
• Install shutters or panels. This should take under an hour if pre-cut and labeled in advance. Do not attempt to do this in high winds — complete it 24–36 hours before expected conditions.
• Fill gas tanks. Your car, any gas cans, and your portable generator fuel supply. Stations along evacuation routes run out. Fill early.
• Fill a bathtub. A WaterBOB or similar bladder (or just the tub) provides 100+ gallons of clean water if municipal supply is compromised post-storm. This is drinking water insurance.
• Charge everything. Phones, power banks, battery-powered fans, CPAP battery backups, and any other battery-dependent equipment.
• Secure or bring in outdoor items. Patio furniture, potted plants, trampolines, and any unsecured items become high-velocity projectiles in hurricane-force winds. Move them inside or anchor them.
• Grab your go-bag. Important documents (insurance, ID, medical), medications (7-day supply minimum), cash, phone chargers, a change of clothes, your emergency kit. If you evacuate, take this bag.

The emergency kit: what to have

FEMA recommends a minimum 72-hour kit. For residents in surge zones or areas with historically long power outages (parts of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi), a 7–14 day supply is more realistic.

Water: One gallon per person per day. A family of four needs 12 gallons for a 3-day kit, 28 gallons for a week. Store in food-grade containers; replace annually.

Food: Non-perishable items that require no cooking or refrigeration — canned goods with a pull tab, nut butters, crackers, dried fruit, protein bars. Include a manual can opener. Don't forget pet food if applicable.

Medications: A 7-day supply of all prescriptions stored with the kit. Discuss emergency refill options with your pharmacy before the season — many states have emergency prescription programs during declared disasters.

Documents (in a waterproof container or bag): Copies of insurance policies (home, flood, auto, health), photo IDs, social security cards, birth certificates, medical records, bank account information, and a list of emergency contacts. Store originals digitally in cloud storage.

Tools and safety: A NOAA weather radio (battery or hand-crank), flashlights and batteries, a first aid kit, a whistle, dust masks, local maps, and a wrench or pliers to shut off utilities.

Cash in small bills. ATMs and card readers go offline when power is out. Small bills (ones, fives, tens) are essential for fuel, food, and supplies during the immediate post-storm period.