First: Know If You Should Actually Stay
Before treating this as your plan, confirm three things:
1. You are NOT in a storm surge evacuation zone. If you are in Zone A or B, sheltering in place during a direct-hit hurricane is potentially fatal. Surge water can rise faster than you can react. Check your zone at our Storm Surge Lookup.
2. Your structure is a solidly built, permanent home. Wood-frame homes can shelter occupants through weaker storms. Concrete block or reinforced construction is significantly safer. Mobile homes and manufactured housing should always evacuate. See our guide on mobile home hurricane prep.
3. You have supplies for at least 7 days without power, running water, or store access.
Before the Storm: Preparation Steps
72+ Hours Before Landfall
- Fill prescriptions (at least 30-day supply)
- Withdraw cash — ATMs may be offline for days
- Fill all vehicles with fuel
- Fill bathtubs with water (WaterBOB or similar liner)
- Stock at least 1 gallon of drinking water per person per day for 7 days
- Charge all devices and portable battery banks fully
- Purchase or test a battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio
- Move outdoor furniture, grills, and potted plants inside or secure them
48 Hours Before Landfall
- Board or shutter windows if you have the materials; if not, move away from them
- Identify your safe room (see below)
- Fill the freezer solid — a full freezer holds temperature longer during an outage
- Cook and freeze meals that can be eaten cold or reheated on a camp stove
- Locate your important documents: ID, insurance papers, medications list
- Designate an out-of-state contact who family members can reach to confirm safety
24 Hours Before Landfall
- Final check of all supplies
- Bring pets inside and set up their supplies in the safe room
- Turn the refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings
- Stay off the roads — emergency preparations are underway
Choosing Your Safe Room
Your safe room should be interior (no exterior walls), on the lowest floor unless flooding is a risk, and a small reinforced space — a bathroom is ideal. The plumbing walls add structural support; the tub provides secondary protection. Get in the tub with a mattress over you if conditions become extreme.
During the Storm
Stay in your safe room from the time winds reach tropical storm force until official all-clear. Do not go outside during the eye. The back eyewall — equally violent — is minutes away. Keep your phone charged and weather radio on. Do not use candles — use battery-powered lanterns only.
After the Storm: The First 24 Hours
- Wait for the official all-clear before leaving your safe room or home
- Check for structural damage before moving freely through the house
- Do not turn power back on if there is any water intrusion — electrocution risk
- Assume all tap water is unsafe until your utility confirms otherwise
- Do not run a generator indoors or in a garage — carbon monoxide kills
- Document all damage with photos before cleanup
See our full Preparedness Checklist Builder and Storm Surge Lookup to complete your household plan. For post-storm recovery steps, see our Post-Storm Recovery Guide.