The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is more likely to produce below-normal activity, but that forecast should not be confused with a guarantee of safety. NOAA assigns a 55% probability to a below-normal season, a 35% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of above-normal activity.
A quieter basin can still produce a destructive landfall. Seasonal forecasts describe overall activity across the Atlantic and cannot determine whether one community will experience a hurricane, tropical storm, flood or extended power outage.
August marks the beginning of the historically more active portion of the season. Families living near the Atlantic or Gulf coasts should use the remaining calm days to prepare instead of waiting for a named storm to appear on a forecast map.
Know Whether You Live in an Evacuation Zone
An evacuation zone is not the same as a flood zone. Local emergency officials may order evacuation because of storm surge, wind, bridge closures or limited access to emergency services.
Residents should use official county or state maps to identify their zone. Write down the zone name or number and keep it with insurance documents, emergency contacts and planned destinations.
A household outside a mandatory evacuation zone may still face flooding or power loss. Preparedness remains necessary even when officials do not expect residents to leave.
Decide Where the Family Will Go
A family plan should identify at least one local destination and one location outside the immediate region. Hotels may fill quickly, while relatives may be affected by the same storm.
FEMA recommends discussing how the household will receive warnings, where it will shelter and which evacuation route it will use. The plan should also consider communication if family members are at work, school or separate locations when an alert arrives.
Do not depend on one highway or bridge. Local officials may reverse lanes, close roads or direct traffic away from the route normally used.
Follow Evacuation Orders Immediately
Ready.gov advises residents in mandatory evacuation zones to leave immediately when local officials issue the order. Delaying can expose the family to rising water, traffic congestion and emergency services that are no longer able to respond safely.
Evacuation decisions should come from local emergency management, not from social-media rumors or a national map viewed without local context. A storm can change direction, speed or intensity, making updated instructions essential.
Leaving early is particularly important for households with older adults, disabilities, medical equipment, young children or animals. Those families may require more time, fuel and preparation.
Build an Emergency Supply Kit
Ready.gov recommends preparing supplies before a disaster, when products remain available and prices are less likely to be affected by urgent demand.
Include drinking water, nonperishable food, flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, first-aid supplies and necessary medications. Add sanitation products, phone chargers, masks, basic tools and a manual can opener.
The kit should reflect the household rather than a generic online photograph. Infant formula, mobility equipment, hearing-aid batteries and prescription needs may be more important than several commercially marketed survival gadgets.
Store Water Before the Storm
Water service can fail or become unsafe after flooding and infrastructure damage. Families should store water in clean containers and follow local emergency guidance concerning quantity and replacement.
Do not wait until an evacuation order to purchase water. Stores may sell out, traffic may increase and residents may lose valuable time needed for securing the home or helping relatives.
Water is needed for drinking, but also for basic hygiene and food preparation. Separate drinking water from supplies intended for cleaning whenever possible.
Choose Food That Works Without Electricity
Select foods that can be eaten without refrigeration or cooking. Canned beans, tuna, nut or seed butter, shelf-stable milk, crackers, fruit cups and other familiar items can provide practical meals.
Consider allergies, dietary restrictions and the ability of children or older adults to open and eat the food. A box of supplies has limited value when the household lacks a safe can opener or cannot prepare the contents.
Avoid purchasing only salty snack foods. Heat, stress and limited water can make an unbalanced emergency diet more difficult to tolerate.
Refill Medications and Medical Supplies
Household members should maintain an updated list of prescriptions, dosages, doctors and pharmacies. Keep necessary medications in their original labeled containers whenever possible.
People who depend on refrigerated medicine or electrically powered medical equipment need a backup plan. Contact the doctor, equipment provider, utility company or local emergency agency before a storm threatens.
Do not assume that a nearby pharmacy will remain open. Flooded roads, evacuation orders and power failures can disrupt access even when the building itself is undamaged.
Protect Important Documents
Place identification, insurance policies, property records, medical information and emergency contacts in a waterproof and portable container. Digital copies should be encrypted or stored in a secure account that can be accessed away from the home.
Photograph the interior and exterior of the property before the storm. Images of furniture, electronics and structural conditions may help document an insurance claim afterward.
Keep policy numbers and insurer contact information available without relying on home internet service. A phone photograph is useful, but a printed backup may be necessary when the battery is depleted.
Prepare for a Power Outage
Charge phones, portable batteries and necessary equipment before conditions deteriorate. Turn on low-power settings and download important maps or documents for offline access.
Use flashlights instead of candles when possible. Open flames create an additional fire risk at a time when emergency response may be limited.
Freezers remain cold longer when the doors stay closed. Families should avoid repeatedly checking food and should follow official food-safety guidance after an extended outage.
Use Generators Outside
A portable generator must never operate inside a home, garage, basement, shed or enclosed porch. Carbon monoxide can accumulate rapidly and cannot be detected by smell.
Place the generator outdoors at a safe distance from doors, windows and vents. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use suitable extension equipment.
Do not connect a generator directly to household wiring unless the home has a professionally installed transfer system. Improper connections can endanger utility workers and damage equipment.
Prepare the Vehicle
Fill the fuel tank before widespread demand begins. Gas stations may lose power, close during severe conditions or develop long lines after an evacuation order.
Check tires, fluids, windshield wipers and the spare tire. Keep a phone charger, paper map, water and basic emergency supplies inside the vehicle.
Do not drive through floodwater. Water can conceal road damage, move a vehicle or rise faster than expected.
Make a Plan for Pets
Identify shelters, hotels and relatives that accept animals. Many public shelters have specific rules, capacity limits or documentation requirements.
Prepare carriers, leashes, food, water, medications and veterinary records. Place identification on the animal and carrier, and keep a recent photograph in case the pet becomes separated.
Never leave an animal chained outdoors or confined inside an evacuated home. A family that waits until the final hours may discover that its preferred destination cannot accept pets.
Help Children Understand the Plan
Explain the plan in calm and age-appropriate language before severe weather arrives. Children should know which adult will collect them from school, where the family may go and how to contact an out-of-area relative.
Avoid exposing children continuously to alarming television coverage. Provide factual updates while maintaining familiar routines whenever conditions allow.
Place comfort items, books, headphones or small games in the emergency kit. Emotional preparation matters when a family spends hours in traffic, a shelter or a dark home.
Protect the House Without Taking Unsafe Risks
Secure outdoor furniture, grills, tools and decorations before winds increase. Objects left outside can damage windows, vehicles and neighboring property.
Use approved storm shutters or properly installed protective panels where appropriate. Taping windows does not provide dependable protection against hurricane debris.
Stop outdoor work when officials warn that conditions are becoming dangerous. Property can be repaired, but a person injured during last-minute preparation may have limited access to emergency care.
Monitor Reliable Alerts
Use Wireless Emergency Alerts, local emergency-management notifications, NOAA weather information and the FEMA app. Ready.gov promotes the FEMA app as a source of preparedness information and real-time weather and emergency alerts.
Do not rely entirely on social media. Posts may be outdated, taken from another storm or shared without the geographic context needed to make a safe decision.
Keep a battery-powered radio available when cell networks and home internet become unreliable. Local broadcasters can provide evacuation routes, shelter information and instructions from authorities.
After the Storm
Do not return to an evacuated area until officials say it is safe. Floodwater, damaged power lines, unstable trees and leaking gas can remain dangerous after winds have weakened.
Photograph damage before beginning major cleanup, but take immediate steps to prevent further loss when it is safe to do so. Contact the insurer through verified information and be cautious of contractors demanding large cash payments.
Scammers often target disaster survivors with fake charities, repair offers and government impersonation schemes. Verify the organization independently before paying or sharing personal information.
The Bottom Line
NOAA’s below-normal outlook is encouraging, but it does not remove the possibility of a dangerous hurricane affecting one community. Families should prepare for the local consequences of wind, storm surge, flooding, evacuation and prolonged power loss.
A useful plan identifies the evacuation zone, destination, transportation, communication method and supplies needed by every person and animal in the household. Completing those tasks before a storm forms is safer and usually less expensive than rushing to prepare under an emergency warning.
