# Hurricane preparedness: a checklist for before, during and after the storm Canonical: https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/hurricane-preparedness-checklist/ Author: Roméo Gambino · Published: 2026-09-23 · Updated: 2026-10-06 · App: Surv (https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/) What to prepare before a hurricane, what a watch and a warning mean, where to shelter, and the dangers that remain once the wind has dropped. ## What makes a hurricane dangerous Wind is only part of it. The major hazards listed by US hurricane forecasters are storm surge, heavy rainfall and inland flooding, high winds, rip currents and tornadoes. Historically, storm surge, the abnormal rise of water pushed ashore by the storm’s winds, is the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the United States, and flooding from heavy rain is the second. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same kind of storm; only the name changes with the region. ## Know your season and your real risk In the Atlantic, the hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November; in the eastern Pacific, from 15 May to 30 November. Living inland does not put you out of reach. Rain, wind and even tornadoes can strike far from where the storm makes landfall, and for people living inland flooding is the major threat. Rainfall depends on the speed and size of the storm rather than its strength: slower and larger storms produce more rain. ## Find out whether you live in an evacuation zone Check this long before a storm is named, because you may have to leave quickly. Learn your evacuation routes, practise them with your household and pets, and decide where you would stay. Follow the instructions of local emergency managers, who know the threat to your community. If you live in a mobile or manufactured home, a trailer or an RV, plan to leave: these cannot provide safe shelter from tropical-storm or hurricane-force winds. ## Build two kits, not one The Red Cross suggests two sets of supplies. A go-kit holds three days of supplies that you can carry, including backup batteries and chargers for devices such as a phone, a CPAP machine or a wheelchair. A stay-at-home kit covers two weeks, because stores and pharmacies may be closed. Add a one-month supply of any medication. After a hurricane, you may not have access to supplies for days or even weeks. ## Papers, phone and alerts Make sure insurance policies and ID are up to date, and keep copies in a secure, password-protected digital space. Have several ways to receive alerts: sign up for local alerts, and remember that Wireless Emergency Alerts on phones need no sign-up. Charge your phone as soon as a hurricane is forecast, buy a backup charger, and keep a battery-powered radio for when the network and the power are both down. ## Prepare the house before the forecast gets urgent Clear drains, gutters and downspouts. Bring in outdoor furniture and bins, and anchor what cannot come inside, such as gas grills and propane tanks. Trim or remove trees that could fall on the house. Protect windows with permanent storm shutters or pre-cut plywood, and stock plastic sheeting and sandbags. Hurricane-force winds, 74 mph or more, can destroy buildings, and objects left outside become flying missiles. ## Watch or warning: what each one means A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible in your area. It is issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected, because preparing may no longer be safe once those winds arrive. A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected. It comes 36 hours before tropical-storm-force winds, and by then all preparations should be complete. Storm surge watches and warnings follow a similar 48-hour and 36-hour logic. ## Do not read too much into the cone Forecast maps show a cone around the storm’s predicted track. US weather forecasters explain that the centre of the storm remains within the cone only about 60 to 70 percent of the time. The cone also describes the centre, not the impacts: the effects of a tropical cyclone can span hundreds of miles, and areas well outside the cone often see tornadoes or inland flooding. Judge your risk from the warnings for your area. ## If you are told to evacuate, go early If you live in an evacuation zone and local officials tell you to leave, do so immediately. Take your go-kit, follow the official evacuation routes and avoid shortcuts, which may be blocked. Emergency managers plan to have evacuations finished before tropical-storm-force winds arrive, not hurricane-force winds, so waiting for the storm to look serious means leaving too late. Check with local officials where the shelters are. ## If you stay: where to shelter The best protection from high winds is a designated storm shelter. The next best is a small, interior, windowless room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building that is not likely to flood. Stay away from windows and glass doors. If rising water traps you, go to the highest level of the building, but do not climb into a closed attic, where the water could trap you. Expect to live without power, water or phone for a long time. ## Floodwater: turn around Never walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult, 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and two feet can carry away SUVs and trucks. US weather services report that over half of flood-related drownings happen when a vehicle is driven into hazardous floodwater. Never drive around a barrier on a flooded road: the road beneath may have collapsed. ## After the storm: dangers that remain Wait until officials say it is safe to return. Stay clear of fallen power lines, and do not wade in floodwater, which can carry sewage, chemicals and debris and can be charged by downed lines. Do not touch wet electrical equipment. Use generators only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages, and never burn gas, propane or charcoal indoors: carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled. Clean up with a partner and do not overwork. ## Food, water and staying in touch Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed: a refrigerator keeps food safe for about four hours without power, and a full freezer for about 48 hours. FoodSafety.gov advises discarding refrigerated perishable foods such as meat, fish, eggs and leftovers after four hours without power, or when they have been at 40 °F (4 °C) or above for more than two hours. Check its item-by-item chart, never taste food to judge safety, and discard food contaminated by floodwater. Avoid drinking tap water until local officials say it is safe. Phone lines may be down or busy: text instead of calling when appropriate. Photograph damage for your insurer. ## Where Surv fits Surv does not receive forecasts or official alerts, so keep those on your phone and radio. What it adds works without a network. Its storm, hurricane and tornado scenario gives the first ten minutes, a 48-hour checklist and what to do after the wind. Its kit lists cover a home kit from 72 hours to two weeks and a go bag, and its water calculator estimates household needs and bleach dosing. Its tools, which work in airplane mode, include a compass, your coordinates to read out to rescuers, an SOS light, a whistle and emergency numbers by country. ## Questions ### What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning? A watch means hurricane conditions are possible in your area and is issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected. A warning means those conditions are expected and comes 36 hours before those winds; by then your preparations should be complete, and you should evacuate at once if ordered. ### What should be in a hurricane kit? Plan two kits: a go-kit with three days of supplies you can carry, including chargers and backup batteries, and a stay-at-home kit for two weeks. Add a one-month supply of medication, copies of your documents, a battery-powered radio, and supplies for pets. ### What is the safest room in a house during a hurricane? A designated storm shelter is best. Otherwise, choose a small, interior, windowless room on the lowest floor that is not likely to flood, away from windows and glass doors. If floodwater rises, move to the highest level, but never into a closed attic. ### Is it safe to go outside once the wind drops? Not until officials say so. Fallen power lines, floodwater that may be contaminated or electrified, damaged trees and buildings remain dangerous after the wind has stopped. Run generators only outdoors, far from windows and doors, because of carbon monoxide. ## Further reading - Ready.gov: Hurricanes — https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes - Ready.gov: Power outages — https://www.ready.gov/power-outages - American Red Cross: Hurricane safety — https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/hurricane.html - National Hurricane Center: Hurricane preparedness, hazards — https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/hazards.php - National Weather Service: Hurricane safety tips and resources — https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane - National Weather Service: Hurricane and tropical storm watches, warnings, advisories and outlooks — https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-ww - National Weather Service: Turn Around Don’t Drown — https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drown - FoodSafety.gov · Food Safety During Power Outage — https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/food-safety-during-power-outage ## About this guide Published by Roméo Apps. Writing and translations are assisted by AI, with technical checks and targeted reviews. The cited sources do not certify the app or its results. [About the publisher](https://romeoapps.app/en/about/)