Hurricanes Happen: How Ready Is Your Home?

By Lauren Leazenby

March 02, 2021

Updated August 17, 2026

When preparing for hurricane season, it’s important to be aware of when hurricane season is so that you remain on high alert during that time. The exact dates hurricane season begins and ends changes on a yearly basis, but the season generally lasts from June until November. During this time, those who live in high-risk areas should always be mindful of the threat of a hurricane or tropical storm.

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The season peaks between August and October, with Sept. 10 being the day you're statistically most likely to find a tropical cyclone somewhere in the Atlantic basin. Hurricanes are common during this time because the ocean water is warm and there’s weak vertical wind shear.

What Areas Are Most Affected by Hurricane Season?

In the United States, the most common areas affected by hurricanes are Southeastern states located along the Atlantic seaboard. Hurricanes mainly make landfall in coastal cities along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

The state that has historically been the most impacted by hurricanes is Florida, with 120 separate hurricanes making direct landfall. Here are some of the most impacted states in recorded history, followed by the number of hurricanes each has experienced:

Florida, 120
Texas, 64
North Carolina, 55
Louisiana, 54
South Carolina, 30
Alabama, 24
Georgia, 22

Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi are the only three states that have been hit by a Category 5 hurricane. It is believed that such severe storms often hit these areas because disturbances propagate from the coast of North Africa and get energized in the warm Atlantic climate.

Hurricane Preparedness Starts Before the Storm

Now that you better understand when and where hurricanes are most likely to occur, it’s time to prepare yourself for hurricane season. First things first: If you live in an at-risk area, make sure you’re always mindful of warnings issued by the National Weather Service. There are three different terms meteorologists use when dealing with hurricane conditions:

Advisory

This is issued when conditions can cause inconveniences that may be hazardous, but not likely life-threatening.

Watch

A hurricane watch is issued when a tropical storm or hurricane is possible within 48 hours. When a hurricane watch is issued, you should pay close attention to news sources for information, prepare your home and get ready to evacuate if necessary.

Warning

This alert is issued when the NWS expects a tropical storm or hurricane to make landfall within 36 hours. You should leave the threatened area if directed to do so by local officials.

Knowing these warnings will help you determine what’s going on in your area. It’ll also help you stay prepared when a storm is brewing.

How to Prepare Your Home For a Hurricane

Prepare for High Winds

High winds are one of the most dangerous aspects of hurricanes and tropical storms, leading to millions and sometimes billions of dollars’ worth of damage. In order to protect your family, your home and your belongings, you need to prepare for these high winds.

Reinforce Weak Points

Strengthen your windows, walls and roof. Secure hurricane shutters over your windows. Add bracing to garage doors.

Tie Down Loose Items

Before a storm, bring loose, lightweight objects such as patio furniture inside your home to ensure they don’t blow away. Any object you can’t bring inside should be anchored. You should also trim or remove trees that could fall on your home or surrounding homes.

Consider a Safe Room

You should also consider having a safe room in your home that meets Federal Emergency Management Agency criteria, or a storm shelter that meets criteria set forth by the “Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters under the auspices of the International Code Council and National Storm Shelter Association,” known as ICC-500 .

Prep For a Blackout

High winds may bring down power lines, which can plunge your home into a power outage. It’s important that you’re ready to ride out the storm in the dark.

Gather Supplies

Stock up on flashlights, batteries, lanterns and candles. Charge devices and power banks. However, you may want to unplug precious electronics (like computers and TVs) before the storm begins to protect them from power surges.

You’ll also want to ensure you have enough nonperishable food and water available for you and your family. Foods that don’t require refrigeration or cooking are the best.

Preserve Your Food

To that end, you’ll want to keep your fridge and freezer doors closed during a power outage. Do your best to keep the food inside as cold as possible. If the power comes back on within four hours, it’s typically safe to eat items out of the fridge. Items in a full chest freezer may stay frozen for up to 48 hours. If you suspect a power outage is coming, you can eke out a few more hours of cold storage by cranking your fridge and freezer as cold as they go before the storm rolls in.

Generator Safety Tips

If you have a generator, it’s probably one of two types: a portable model or a whole-house standby model. Either way, make sure you have enough of the right fuel to fill it. Follow these safety tips :

Never use a portable generator inside a garage or in your home.
Store fuel in proper containers.
If you’re running extension cords outside, make sure to use outdoor-rated ones.
Let the generator cool off before adding more fuel.
Avoid backfeeding, which is illegal in most jurisdictions.

Protect Your HVAC System

Outdoor AC units are vulnerable during storms. Do these things before a storm hits to protect your air conditioner:

Shut off your HVAC system to protect it from power surges and other electrical issues.
Cover the outdoor AC unit with a heavy tarp.
If you’re putting sandbags around your home, put some around your AC unit as well.
Inspect your unit for damage before turning it back on.

How to Prepare for Floods

Flood-Proof Your Home

Flooding also causes millions to billions of dollars in damage each time one of these storms makes landfall. There are steps you can take to make your home more flood-resistant:

Make sure gutters and drains are free of debris.
Check on your sump pump and remove any debris from the sump pit.
Install a water alarm that will alert you when water seeps in.
Put irreplaceable, vulnerable items (documents, photos, etc.) on higher floors or shelves.
Roll up basement rugs and elevate furniture on plastic totes, if you can.

If flooding is expected to be particularly bad, you may want to use sandbags to keep your home dry.

What to Do During a Flood

A few inches of rainwater in your basement may do some damage, but it's not the end of the world. A storm surge is what you really need to watch out for. During a hurricane, flood waters can rise rapidly. Just 12 inches of water can sweep away an entire car. Storm surges may bring several feet of water your way.

Get to higher ground if you can, and comply with any evacuation orders. If you’re stuck in your home while waters rise, get as far away from electrical outlets and cords as you can. And avoid wading through flood water. It’s not just rain. It may contain chemicals, sewage, sharp objects, rocks and anything else that can get swept away.

Protect Your Investment

A hurricane is going to do a number on your house. Before the storm is the time to take stock of your insurance coverage. Does your homeowners policy cover hurricane-related storm damage? Do you have flood insurance? How much can you expect your policy to pay out if you need to replace your roof, for example?

If you have to replace your belongings after a storm, the insurance company is going to want to know exactly what you owned. Before the storm rolls in, take photos of every room in your home, paying careful attention to valuable items. If you have receipts, take photos of those. Write down the approximate value of your items. Email the photos to yourself so you can access them, even if you lose your cellphone.

Should You Evacuate During a Hurricane?

It can be a difficult decision as a homeowner to leave your home when a storm seems imminent. But sometimes, it’s necessary. If local authorities advise or order you to evacuate your home, you should grab your important belongings and comply immediately.

If you decide to stay home during an evacuation order, you are playing with fire. In some places, it may be illegal . You will likely not have access to any services, including emergency medical assistance.

If a storm isn’t going to be life-threatening in your area, authorities may not issue an evacuation order. If you choose to stay at home, remember that even if the high winds and floodwaters do not reach your house, you may lose power and water, and you may not be able to leave your home for several days if the roads are impassable.

If you did evacuate your home, you should wait until public officials and authorities say it’s safe to return. After each major storm, people are injured and even killed while cleaning up after a hurricane. When you return, avoid floodwaters and do not enter a building until it has been inspected.

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Supplies to Have in Your Go Bag or Emergency Kit

You should have emergency supplies at the ready in case a storm hits. These supplies will be needed if you hunker down in your home while a storm passes. They’ll also come in handy after the storm passes if you’re without power. If you need to evacuate, you can put these items in a "go bag" to take with you. Some of the recommended supplies include:

Means of emergency communication. Keep a backup power source for your cellphone in case of emergency.
Medical supplies. You should always be equipped to tend to expected or unexpected medical needs.
Documents. Critical documents, such as birth certificates, should be kept in a waterproof container.
Food. You should have at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food and water.
Protective gear. Pack warm clothes and blankets to prevent hypothermia.
Comfort items. If you evacuate your home, you should grab any items that are irreplaceable or may provide comfort to your family.

You can build up your supplies stash over time by adding a few items each week or each month.

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