Prepare for hurricane season: During the storm

Hurricanes are long duration weather events – with wind and rain that can last for several hours. The impacts you see at your location may vary over time, depending on how fast the storm is moving and where it is located.

Riding out the Storm at Home

If you are not going to evacuate and decide to ride out a storm at your home, you should prepare for the possibility of trees falling on your home or debris to break windows.

Have sturdy shoes nearby or on your person
Keep pets secure in a crate or near you
Use flashlights instead of candles
Stay away from windows and skylights
Close doors to all rooms you won’t be in
Have a plan of where you’ll go if winds get really intense
Communicate that plan to your kids
Consider any family members that may need extra help like elderly or disabled individuals
Only use a generator outdoors (avoid garages too)
If in a flood zone, monitor the water level. Move to a higher floor if necessary.

During the height of the storm when winds are the strongest, seek shelter in an interior room, away from windows. Make sure you have sturdy shoes on. If the wind gets really intense, treat it like you would a tornado. Seek shelter on the lowest flood in an interior room without windows. Be alert for any flood waters that may rise around your home.

If you get inside the eye of the storm, there may be a lull in the wind and rain. Don’t let that fool you! The lull can last for minutes to hours depending on how fast the storm is moving – however, on the back side of the eye is another eyewall, with intense winds from a different direction. This can knock over trees that have been weakened by the initial winds.