Hurricane inbound. The 24-hour checklist.
The last calm day decides the week. Work the list top to bottom — the first item overrides everything under it.
Do this now
- If officials say evacuate, evacuate. Storm surge is the deadliest part of a hurricane, and it's the part you can't outsmart.
- Fill every water vessel: bottles, jugs, pots — and the bathtub (that's flushing and washing water, not drinking).
- Charge everything: phones, power banks, laptops. Fuel the car to full — pumps die with the power.
- Bring in or tie down everything outside. Patio furniture becomes projectiles at 100 mph.
- Cash out — small bills. ATMs and card readers go down with the grid.
The surge rule
Wind gets the headlines; water does the killing. If you're in an evacuation zone, the question isn't whether your house can take the wind — it's whether the ocean is about to occupy your street. Leave early: the roads are the same ones everyone else waits for.
If you're staying (outside evac zones)
- Pick the safe room now: interior, no windows, lowest floor that can't flood
- Fridge and freezer to coldest settings; freeze water bottles — they hold the cold and become drinking water
- Wedge important documents into a waterproof bag, high up
- Know that the calm may be the eye, not the end — wait for the official all-clear
After it passes
The days after kill quietly: downed lines in standing water, carbon monoxide from generators, chainsaw injuries. Treat every wire as live, run the generator by the rules, and stay off flooded roads — the surface hides what's gone.
Do not
- Don't stay in an evacuation zone to protect property.
- Don't tape windows — it's a myth that makes bigger glass shards.
- Don't go out during the eye's calm.
- Don't drive through floodwater. Turn around.
Common questions
When should I evacuate for a hurricane?
When local officials call it for your zone — and earlier beats later. Storm surge is the deadliest hurricane hazard, and evacuation routes jam fast.
Should I fill the bathtub before a hurricane?
Yes — as utility water for flushing toilets and washing, not for drinking. Store drinking water separately: one gallon per person per day.
Is the calm in the middle the end of the storm?
Often it's the eye. The back half arrives with winds from the opposite direction. Stay sheltered until officials give the all-clear.
Sources — official guidance
Before you lose signal
Save the whole kit to your phone.
This page needs the internet. The NothingLoads app doesn't — all 28 guides, offline search, and your family's own emergency plan live on the phone itself and work in Airplane Mode. Life-safety guides are free for everyone, forever.
Free · about 1 MB · iPhone & iPad · no account · no tracking