Hurricane Preparedness Checklist: Complete Guide

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Hurricane preparedness comes in waves — the pre-season checklist done in May, the specific-storm ramp-up when a named storm forms, and the final 72-hour push when landfall is confirmed. Each phase has a different job. This is the complete hurricane preparedness checklist that walks you from off-season readiness through post-landfall recovery, with specific gear and supplies to have on hand.

Pre-season (May-June) — build the foundation

Before hurricane season even starts, get the annual maintenance and supply audit done:

• Roof inspection. Loose shingles, damaged flashing, and clogged gutters are the difference between a manageable storm and a catastrophic one. Pay for a professional inspection every 2-3 years.
• Tree trimming. Remove branches that could fall on your house or block driveways. Trees that lean toward the house — consider professional removal.
• Storm shutters or plywood ready. If you have permanent shutters, test them. If you plan to board up with plywood, have it cut and labeled for each window in the garage — not a Home Depot run 12 hours before landfall.
• Generator maintenance. Change oil, test-start, verify fuel storage. See our sister site GeneratorAdvice’s maintenance guide.
• Home battery / power station charged and tested. If you have one, cycle it before season starts. See HomePowerVault for portable power backup guides.
• Insurance review. Flood insurance is SEPARATE from homeowners insurance and has a 30-day waiting period. Get it in place before storms form.
• Document photos. Photograph every room and major possession. Store copies in cloud storage.

Pre-storm (5-7 days out) — when a storm forms

Once a tropical system organizes and could threaten your area:

• Fill vehicle gas tanks. Gas stations run out or lose power when landfall approaches.
• Fill propane tanks. For grills, camp stoves, and heaters.
• Check the emergency kit. Water (1 gallon per person per day, 7+ days), non-perishable food, batteries, flashlights, weather radio, first aid, prescription meds refilled.
• Cash on hand. ATMs don’t work during outages. $500-1000 in small bills.
• Chargers and battery banks topped off. Every phone, laptop, and portable battery bank.
• Vehicle preparation. Fuel, tire pressure, jumper cables. If you plan to evacuate, know your route.

72 hours out — final push

• Board up windows or close permanent shutters
• Bring in outdoor furniture, grills, plants, trash cans — anything that could become a projectile
• Freeze water bottles — cold storage backup if freezer loses power
• Charge every battery — phones, laptops, power stations, headlamps, radios
• Fill the tub with water — for toilet flushing during extended outages
• Verify weather radio works — NOAA weather radio with fresh batteries. Hand-crank NOAA weather radio
• Family communication plan. Out-of-state contact who everyone can text/call to check in with. Meet-up location if separated.
• Medical prescriptions. 30-day supply of critical medications.
• Important documents. IDs, insurance policies, birth certificates in a waterproof container or safe.
• Pet supplies. Food for 7 days, water, medications, crate for evacuation.

Essential supplies checklist

Water (the most important supply)

• 1 gallon per person per day for 7-14 days minimum
• Store in food-safe containers or purchase bottled
• Water purification tablets or a filter as backup (purification tablets, LifeStraw)

Food

• 3-14 days non-perishable, no-cook or minimal-cook
• Manual can opener
• Baby food/formula if applicable
• Pet food
• For deeper food prep guidance including canning and long-term storage, see our sister site HomeFoodVault’s pantry guide

Communication

• NOAA weather radio (hand-crank + battery preferred)
• Portable battery bank (10,000+ mAh, multiple)
• Family communication plan on paper

Lighting

• LED lanterns for each room (not just flashlights — hands-free light is critical)
• Headlamps for hands-free work
• Extra batteries in matching sizes

First aid + medical

• Comprehensive first aid kit
• 30-day prescription supply
• Over-the-counter medications (pain relievers, antihistamines, anti-diarrheal)

Sanitation

• Trash bags (heavy contractor grade)
• Bucket toilet supplies for extended sewer outages
• Disinfectant, hand sanitizer, wet wipes

Evacuation vs shelter-in-place

Know your evacuation zone. In most hurricane-prone areas, the county emergency management website has evacuation zone maps by address. If your zone is called to evacuate, GO EARLY. The last 24 hours before landfall bring traffic gridlock, closed gas stations, and shelters filling to capacity.

If sheltering in place: identify the interior room without windows on the lowest floor above flood risk. Bathrooms and closets on middle floors work well. Have your supplies staged there.

Post-storm safety

• Wait for the official all-clear. The eye of the storm can trick people into thinking it’s over.
• Downed power lines. Assume every line is live. Stay 25+ feet away, report to utility.
• Flood water. Contains sewage, chemicals, snakes, and downed power lines. Don’t walk or drive through it.
• Generator safety. Never indoors, never in a garage, minimum 20 feet from any window or vent. See our portable power stations guide for indoor-safe alternatives.
• Contact family. One text to the out-of-state contact who relays to everyone else.
• Document damage before cleanup. Photos of everything. Insurance depends on documentation.

Special preparedness for coastal residents

If you live within 30 miles of the coast in a hurricane-prone state, add these to the standard checklist:

• Know your storm surge zone. County emergency management maps show surge risk by address; this matters more than the wind category for many buildings.
• Elevate valuables. If storm surge is a possibility, move important items to upper floors before the storm.
• Waterproof containers for documents, electronics, and critical medications.
• Sandbags for door and low-window protection if flooding is expected.
• Marine-band radio in addition to standard NOAA weather radio — coastal broadcasts include marine advisories that ground-based radios may miss.

Recovery timeline expectations

Understanding realistic recovery timelines helps you plan supplies:

• Category 1-2 hurricane: power restoration 1-7 days; grocery/gas normal in 3-5 days
• Category 3-4: power 1-3 weeks in worst-hit areas; grocery/gas may take 2 weeks; damage cleanup takes months
• Category 5: weeks to months for power in worst areas; regional economic disruption lasts a year+

Supply your household to bridge the specific storm intensity range for your location. Coastal Category 4-5 zones need 2-4 weeks of provisions, not 3 days.

The bottom line

Hurricane preparedness works in phases: annual pre-season foundation, storm-formation ramp-up, and 72-hour landfall final push. Water, food, communication, lighting, first aid, sanitation — hit each category with realistic quantities. Know your evacuation zone. And when officials say go, go early. The families who prepared calmly in May weather storms much better than those scrambling in August.