How to prepare for Texas hurricane season
Summer in Texas is the hottest and rainiest time of the year. On the Gulf Coast, it’s also the start of Texas’ hurricane season. Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms known for their devastating winds and torrential rains that can pose a significant hazard to people and infrastructure. The Lone Star State is no stranger to these storms. Roughly 21 percent of all hurricanes that have made landfall in the United States since 1851 have hit Texas. On average, Texas gets a hurricane once every three years. One of the more recent storms, Hurricane Harvey, caused $125 billion in damage and 68 fatalities when it made landfall in 2017.
If you live along or near the Gulf Coast, you should know how to prepare for hurricane season. Get started by following our hurricane preparedness checklist below.
When is Texas hurricane season?
Before you know how to prepare for hurricane season, you should know when it happens. Texas hurricane season starts on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30. Hurricanes form over warm oceans, which is why hurricane season occurs when temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean are at their highest. August (the hottest month of the year on the Gulf Coast) and September are the peak months for hurricanes. However, hurricanes can happen at any time of the season.
Step 1: Gather your emergency supplies
Hurricanes may cause power and water outages and damage to homes, roads and essential infrastructure. In the aftermath of one of these storms, grocery stores and pharmacies may be closed, and evacuating may be impossible. One of the first things you should do to get ready for an oncoming hurricane is to prepare a collection of emergency supplies. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, these should include:
One gallon of water per person for several days
At least a several-day supply of non-perishable food
Flashlight
First aid kit
Manual can opener
Hand-crank or battery-powered radio
Maps of your local area
Prescription medications
Additional infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream
Garbage bags
Moist towelettes
Keep your cell phones fully charged (and have backup portable chargers on hand) while you have electricity. A whistle to signal for help, masks to prevent you from breathing in debris, toilet paper and surplus food and water for your pets are good to have as well. Make sure to stock up on all these items well before the hurricane arrives to make sure you do not go without. Even if the storm isn’t as bad as predicted, you will still have these items on hand for the future.
Step 2: Protect your essential documents
Social security cards, passports, birth and marriage certificates, financial documents and tax returns. You need them all, which is why protecting them from wind and water damage is critical. Fortunately, you have a few options. Your local bank may have safe deposit boxes where you can store these important documents (as well as other valuable small items). These are normally available for rent for a small annual fee. Safe deposit boxes are typically stored within a bank vault, which are made to be secure and have shown to be capable of surviving tornadoes. Another option is a portable fire and water-resistant safe that may keep your essential documents protected and within reach. For an added level of security, scan all your documents and save them to a password-protected thumb drive or external hard drive. You can then place it in your safe as a backup in case anything happens to your paper copies. Although your important documents aren’t key to your health and safety, replacing them after a hurricane can be a hassle. Storing your documents somewhere secure can save you time.
Step 3: Prepare your home for the storm
Strong winds and abundant rain can create a host of hazards, some of which you can do something about. Whether you’re sheltering in place or planning to evacuate, there are a few things that can protect your family, home and neighbors. Hurricane-force winds can destroy buildings and fling debris. Your first step should be to clear your yard. Move all your potted plants, lawn furniture, grills and anything else that can be picked up by the wind into your garage or within a secure shelter.
Shattered glass poses a significant threat during and after a hurricane. Covering your windows with storm shutters or plywood nailed to the outside of your window frames can help prevent broken windows. Filling your bathtubs and sinks with water in case of an outage will give you water you can use to flush your toilet and wash your hands. Finally, make sure you know how to turn the power off in your home in case of a flood and that your carbon monoxide detector is working.
Here are some other tips that may help you prepare your home for a hurricane:
Your standard home insurance policy may not cover losses due to flooding. Purchasing flood insurance can help protect your financial security. Look up your address on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) website to see if your home is at risk of flooding.
Fill as many plastic bags as you can with water and freeze them. These can help save your food in case of a prolonged power outage.
Move all your sentimental items away from the floor to avoid potential flood damage.
Top off your car with gasoline and fill up any gas tanks you have as a backup option.
Have cash on hand, just in case.
Clean out your gutters, as clogged gutters can damage your home.
Set your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest temperature setting.
Everyone’s homes are different. However, following these steps is a great start to preparing your home for a hurricane.
Step 4: Create an evacuation plan
Although your first instinct may be to ride out a hurricane at home, sometimes the safest thing to do is leave. Having an evacuation plan worked out beforehand can make getting out much easier. Your first step is to figure out which of the Texas Department of Transportation’s evacuation and contraflow routes are the easiest for you to get to. Contraflow routes help traffic move along by opening both sides of a highway, allowing more people to get out of an area quickly.
If you live in a flood-prone area, it’s a good idea to get ready to evacuate even before an evacuation order is issued. Prepare “go bags” for everyone in your family, which should include bottles of drinking water, non-perishable food, spare clothing, flashlights and batteries, personal hygiene items, maps of your area and any prescription medications. Leaving your home when you don’t know where you will stay the night is stressful. Fortunately, FEMA’s mobile app and the American Red Cross’ website can help you find nearby emergency shelters.
Mapping out your route, having a “go bag” ready and knowing how to find a place to stay may help make an already difficult situation a little bit easier. Make sure to let your friends or family know where you’re going, and you’ll be able to ride out the storm safe and sound.
Step 5: Tune into your local weather reports
Watching or listening to a weather forecast when a storm is approaching is key to staying safe. Your local news networks likely offer emergency weather reports on their social media channels as well as on TV and the radio. Always make sure you have a backup option just in case you lose internet access, or the TV isn’t working. The National Weather Service has emergency radio stations across the country. You can find your local station here.
Listen to any news report and you’ll hear different kinds of weather watches and warnings. If you don’t know the difference between a tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings, you may not know how to adequately prepare. Here’s what each means, according to the National Weather Service:
Tropical Storm Watch
A Tropical Storm Watch is declared when a storm with winds of between 39 and 73 miles per hour is possible within 48 hours. This may also include the potential for storm surges and flooding.
Tropical Storm Warning
Tropical Storm Warnings are issued when a storm’s sustained winds of between 39 and 73 miles per hour are expected within 36 hours or less. A Tropical Storm Warning shows the imminent arrival of such a storm, which may also include storm surges and flooding. Make sure to tune into your local news station so you know when a warning is issued.
Hurricane Watch
Hurricane Watches occur when sustained winds of greater than 74 miles per hour are possible within an area. These are often declared 48 hours before the storm’s predicted arrival to give you plenty of time to act.
Hurricane Warning
Like the Tropical Storm Warning, you need to know when a Hurricane Warning is in effect. These are declared 36 hours before sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or greater are expected within a certain area. If a Hurricane Warning is issued, you must either have all your preparations completed or you must be ready to evacuate at once.
Other warnings to know about
Storm Surge Warning
The force of a hurricane’s winds can push water from the Gulf of Mexico toward the shoreline, potentially increasing the water level by more than 30 feet. This is known as a storm surge. A Storm Surge Warning is typically issued when there is a life-threatening danger of rising water from the shoreline making its way inland. You may need to evacuate if a Storm Surge Warning is in effect.
Extreme Wind Warning
Often issued when a hurricane is making landfall, Extreme Wind Warnings are declared when winds of 115 miles per hour (or greater) are expected within a specified area within an hour. If an Extreme Wind Warning is in effect, the National Weather Service recommends taking immediate shelter in an interior room of a well-built structure.
Flood Watches and Warnings
Hurricanes can produce heavy, and often destructive, rainfall that may cause catastrophic flooding on the coastline and further inland. If a tropical cyclone is in your area, you need to know if a flood watch or warning is in effect.
Flood Watch – A flood watch is issued when flooding is possible due to certain weather conditions.
Flood Advisory – Flood advisories are made when flooding may cause a nuisance but shouldn’t endanger life or property as long as you are careful.
Flood Warning – Like the other warnings, flood warnings are worth paying attention to. They represent an imminent or ongoing threat of flooding within a specified area. In such an event, get to high ground and be ready to follow your safety plan.
Flash Flood Warning – Similar to a flood warning, flash flood warnings describe an imminent or occurring hazard to life or property from a flood. Flash floods are sudden and violent and can occur even in places that are not getting rain.
Helpful Texas hurricane resources
2-1-1 for shelter, food and disaster services
7-1-1 for Relay Texas, a service that provides telephone access for people with speech or hearing loss who find it hard to use a traditional telephone
1-800-452-9292 for TxDOT statewide road closures
Drivetexas.org for real-time road closure information
Hurricanes in Texas are common. Paying attention to your local weather reports and being ready to act during hurricane season will help you weather a storm that comes your way.
Want to read more? Check out Tornado Season in Texas - Your FAQs, Answered or how you can save on your electric bill this summer in Texas.
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