Hurricane

A hurricane gives you several days of warning. The problem is that those days disappear fast if you don't know what actions to take and when. Most hurricane deaths — particularly in major storms — come from storm surge, not wind. Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm in 2005, produced a storm surge of 25–28 feet (7.6–8.5 m) above normal tide levels along the Mississippi coast.

Hurricane Ike in 2008 made landfall as a Category 2 but pushed a 24-foot (7.3 m) surge. The Saffir-Simpson scale tells you about wind. It does not tell you about water.

Understanding what the scale measures — and what it doesn't — is the first step to making sound decisions before a storm arrives.

Educational use only

This page is for educational and planning purposes. Storm surge predictions, evacuation zone designations, and local emergency protocols vary by jurisdiction and change year to year. Always verify your zone and surge risk through your county or state emergency management website and the National Hurricane Center before hurricane season opens.

Action block

Do this first: Write down your hurricane evacuation zone (A, B, C, etc.) — check your property deed, county tax records, an old insurance document, or call your county emergency office; confirm the source and date (15 min). This zone, not the storm category, determines when you evacuate. Time required: Active: 15 min to locate and verify zone; 1–2 hours to complete T-72 structural prep; recurrence: verify zone annually before June 1 hurricane season open, especially after moving Cost range: — (lookup task); inexpensive for 72-hour evacuation kit basics; moderate investment for full shelter-in-place water and food stores Skill level: Beginner for zone verification and evacuation planning; intermediate for structural prep (window boarding, garage door bracing) Tools and supplies: Tools: property deed, prior insurance documents, or phone contact for county emergency management; battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio. Supplies: 5-gallon (19 L) fuel can for vehicle reserve; waterproof document bag for IDs and insurance papers; 72-hour food and water kit if not already assembled. Safety warnings: See Educational use only above — zone designations and surge depths are jurisdiction-specific; always verify your zone through official sources before hurricane season opens

The Saffir-Simpson scale

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale rates hurricanes from Category 1 to Category 5 based solely on maximum sustained wind speed. It was updated in 2009 to remove storm surge estimates, because surge height depends heavily on local geography (coastline angle, seafloor slope, bay geometry) and not just wind speed.

Category	Wind Speed	Expected Damage
1	74–95 mph (119–153 km/h)	Roof shingles, gutters, vinyl siding, some downed trees
2	96–110 mph (154–177 km/h)	Shallow-rooted trees uprooted; near-total loss of power
3	111–129 mph (179–208 km/h)	Structural roof damage, isolated building failures; major utilities out days to weeks
4	130–156 mph (209–251 km/h)	Severe exterior wall damage; extensive roof failures; uninhabitable for weeks
5	157+ mph (253+ km/h)	Near-complete destruction of most framed buildings; areas uninhabitable for months

Categories 3 through 5 are classified as major hurricanes by the National Hurricane Center. But Category 1 and 2 storms remain genuinely dangerous — especially for anyone in a surge zone, a mobile home, or a building with prior damage.

What's more dangerous in a hurricane — wind or storm surge?

Storm surge kills more people than wind in major hurricanes. Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 and produced a 25–28 foot (7.6–8.5 m) surge. Hurricane Ike made landfall as a Category 2 and pushed a 24-foot (7.3 m) surge. The Saffir-Simpson scale measures wind — it does not predict surge, which depends on local coastline geometry and seafloor slope.

Storm surge is a rise in sea level pushed ahead of and alongside a hurricane. It arrives as an inland flood, often before peak winds, and its depth can overwhelm any structure not designed for sustained water immersion.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s SLOSH (Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes) model estimates surge potential by local geography. Typical ranges by category:

Category 1: 4–5 feet (1.2–1.5 m) above normal tide
Category 2: 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m)
Category 3: 9–12 feet (2.7–3.7 m)
Category 4: 13–18 feet (4.0–5.5 m)
Category 5: 18+ feet (5.5+ m), potentially catastrophic in low-lying areas

These are medians in typical coastal geometry. Actual surge can significantly exceed these values — as Katrina demonstrated — based on storm approach angle and local bathymetry. A shallow-slope Gulf Coast shelf produces dramatically more surge than a steep Atlantic coast shelf at the same wind speed.

Your evacuation zone, not the storm category, is your trigger

Most coastal jurisdictions use lettered surge zones (A through E) ranked by surge vulnerability. Zone A floods in any significant storm and should evacuate for any approaching hurricane. Checking your category rather than your zone is one of the most dangerous errors people make. Confirm your zone at your county emergency management website before hurricane season, not during.

When should I evacuate before a hurricane?

At 72 hours before landfall if you are in Zone A (highest surge risk), have pets, livestock, mobility limitations, or a long drive to your destination. By 48 hours, all Zone A and B households should be departing. At 24 hours, roads are congested and fuel is scarce. At 12 hours, departure from high-surge zones becomes life-threatening.

The window between "leave now" and "too late to leave safely" is shorter than most people expect.

72 hours before landfall: Storm watches posted. Roads are open and light. Fuel is available. This is when high-risk Zone A residents (especially those with mobility limitations, pets, livestock, or long drive routes) should depart. Hotel availability at destinations 200+ miles (320+ km) inland is still reasonable.

48 hours before landfall: Storm warnings posted. Mandatory evacuation orders may be issued for coastal zones. Traffic volume begins to increase on evacuation routes. Fuel stations in coastal areas start to run out. This is the last comfortable window for most Zone A and B households to leave.

24 hours before landfall: Roads are congested. Contraflow (both lanes going inland) may be in effect but slowdowns are severe. Fuel is scarce. Public shelters are filling.

Departures from coastal zones become increasingly difficult and dangerous. Leave earlier.

12 hours before landfall: Tropical storm force winds (39+ mph (63+ km/h)) are possible in some coastal areas. Tree branches down, reduced visibility. Departure from high-surge zones at this point is life-threatening.

Field note

Pre-position a full tank of gas starting 96 hours before projected landfall. Every gas station on a major evacuation route sells out within hours of mandatory evacuation orders. If you wait to fill up until the order comes, you may be driving on fumes through gridlock. Keep a 5-gallon (19 L) fuel can as backup reserve — see fuel management for safe storage guidance.

The 72-hour kit vs. extended shelter needs

If you are evacuating, your priority kit is 72 hours of portable supplies:

Water: at least 1 gallon (3.8 L) per person per day — a family of four needs a minimum of 12 gallons (45 L)
Food requiring no refrigeration and minimal cooking: shelf-stable meals, nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter
Prescription medications for 7+ days (storms can delay return for a week or more)
Phone chargers, backup battery banks
Copies of important documents in a waterproof bag (insurance, ID, prescriptions)
Cash — card readers often fail in affected areas for days after a storm
Pet carriers, food, vaccination records for animals
Change of clothing, sleeping bags or blankets

If you are sheltering in place (confirmed outside surge zones), your supply requirements scale to the storm's expected aftermath:

Major hurricane aftermath typically involves 7–21 days without reliable grid power. Category 4 and 5 storms can displace utility crews, damage transmission infrastructure, and delay restoration for weeks. The energy and food storage Foundations apply directly here.

Key shelter-in-place supplies beyond 72 hours:

Stored water sufficient for 2+ weeks: 2 gallons (7.6 L) per person per day for drinking and basic sanitation
Non-refrigerated food for 14–21 days minimum
Portable propane or camp stove for cooking (do not use indoors — carbon monoxide)
Manual can opener, utensils
Backup lighting: battery lanterns and headlamps — candles create fire risk in post-storm debris conditions
Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio for official updates when cell networks are congested or down

Structural preparations before the storm

Windows and doors: Hurricane shutters or plywood rated for your local wind zone significantly reduce structural failure risk. Standard window glass shatters at sustained winds above 80 mph (129 km/h). Boarding must be completed before tropical storm-force winds arrive — attempting this at 40+ mph (64+ km/h) is dangerous.

Garage doors: The most common residential structural failure in hurricanes is garage door collapse, which depressurizes the structure and leads to roof loss. Reinforce or brace garage doors before the storm, or keep them closed and brace them from inside.

Roof straps: In areas with older construction, hurricane straps or clips at the roof-to-wall connection are the single highest-value structural upgrade for preventing roof loss.

Clear the yard: Any unsecured object in your yard — furniture, planters, grills, decorations, small sheds — becomes a projectile at 80+ mph (129+ km/h). Clear everything inside or secure it tightly.

Anchor or cut marginal trees: A 40-foot (12 m) dead oak falling on your house will destroy the roof whether the tree is technically in your yard or a neighbor's. Identify hazard trees and address them before hurricane season.

During the storm

Stay inside throughout the entire storm. The calm at the eye passage is temporary — a hurricane's eye can pass in 20 minutes to two hours before the back eyewall, which carries the second round of highest winds, arrives from the opposite direction. People who go outside during the eye to inspect damage are caught in the back eyewall every year.

If the building begins to fail — roof torn, walls breached, or flooding entering — move to an interior room without windows on the lowest floor (unless flooding, in which case move up). A bathtub provides partial structural protection from debris impacts.

After the storm

Wait for official all-clear before venturing outside. Hazards that kill in the hours after a storm:

Downed power lines: Assume every downed line is energized. Keep 30 feet (9 m) of clearance.
Generator carbon monoxide: Generators must be placed at least 20 feet (6 m) from any window, door, or vent. Running a generator inside a garage with the door open has killed families.
Floodwater: Six inches (15 cm) of moving water can knock a person down; 12 inches (30 cm) can carry away a small vehicle. Floodwater contains sewage, chemicals, and submerged hazards.
Chainsaw injuries: More people are injured and killed by chainsaws clearing debris after storms than by the storms themselves. Chainsaw safety protocols matter.

72-hour pre-landfall preparation timeline

The three days before landfall are when decisions compound. Actions taken at T-72 preserve options at T-24; actions deferred to T-24 are often impossible by then. Work through this timeline in reverse-chronological order, so the heaviest physical work happens when conditions are still safe.

T-72 hours (3 days out — storm watch posted):

Confirm your household's surge zone and the track forecast — the storm's projected path at 72 hours often shifts; this is your first decision checkpoint for evacuation vs. shelter-in-place
Fill all vehicle gas tanks fully; fill any portable fuel cans (5-gallon (19 L) capacity)
Withdraw cash from ATM in small denominations — ATMs may be down for days post-storm
Begin filling extra water containers; top off stored water to maximum capacity
Walk the yard: identify every object that can become airborne at 80+ mph (129+ km/h) and move it inside or tie it down
Check your evacuation route — verify it doesn't pass through a surge zone that will be ordered to evacuate before you reach it
If you have Zone A or B designation and any mobility-limiting factor (elderly member, infant, livestock, long drive to destination), depart now

T-48 hours (2 days out — storm warning posted):

Install hurricane shutters or plywood on all windows, starting with the windward side and ground floor. All boarding must be done before tropical-storm-force winds arrive — attempting at 40+ mph (64+ km/h) is unsafe
Brace or reinforce garage doors from the inside; add horizontal bracing boards if your door lacks hurricane rating
Move patio furniture, potted plants, grills, and decorative items inside entirely — what won't fit inside should be secured with heavy tie-down straps or moved to the center of the garage
Stage your document package: IDs, insurance declarations, medical records, prescription list, social security cards — waterproof bag, near the door
Charge all phone batteries, backup power banks, and radios
Test your battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio — verify it receives local frequency
Contact your out-of-area check-in person and confirm the communication plan (see communications planning)
If evacuating: load vehicles, confirm destination and route, and depart before the next step

T-24 hours (1 day out — mandatory evacuation orders likely for coastal zones):

If remaining in place: complete all exterior prep — nothing should be left outdoors at this point
Fill bathtubs with water (a tub holds 40–60 gallons (151–227 L) — backup water supply if municipal pressure drops post-storm)
Move valuables to the highest point of the structure that will not be surge-exposed
Set refrigerator and freezer to maximum cold; fill unused space with bags of ice or frozen water bottles
Confirm all household members know the shelter room (interior, lowest floor above surge level, away from windows) and the safety protocol if the structure begins to fail
Take a final video walk-through of your home exterior and interior for insurance documentation

T-6 hours (storm arriving — final actions):

All household members inside; do not go back outside for any reason
Position flashlights and battery lanterns in the shelter room
Keep shoes on — post-storm debris is immediate and everywhere
Silence all non-essential notifications; monitor only official channels (NOAA radio, county emergency management)

Practical checklist

Confirm your household's hurricane surge zone before season starts — post it inside a kitchen cabinet
Fill gas tank 96 hours before projected landfall
Assemble 72-hour evacuation kit: water, food, medication, documents, cash, phone charger
Store 14–21 days of non-refrigerated food and 2 weeks of water for shelter-in-place scenarios
Board windows and secure yard objects at 72 hours before expected landfall
Identify the nearest official public shelter that accepts pets (if applicable)
Program NOAA Weather Radio frequencies into a battery/hand-crank radio
Pre-plan evacuation route with two alternates and a destination 200+ miles (320+ km) inland
Establish a communication plan — see communications planning — with out-of-area contacts who confirm everyone is safe

For long-duration aftermath, the same skills that apply to any extended grid-down scenario — water management, food rotation, medical self-sufficiency — determine whether you recover in days or weeks. Start building those foundations before hurricane season opens.

Sources and next steps

Last reviewed: 2026-05-17

Source hierarchy:

NHC Storm Surge Risk Map (Tier 1, NOAA National Hurricane Center — official surge inundation tool)
NOAA SLOSH Model Overview (Tier 1, NOAA — Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes model)
FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (Tier 1, FEMA NFIP — flood zone mapping and post-storm claims)
NWS Hurricane Preparedness (Tier 1, NWS — evacuation timing and preparedness guidance)

Legal/regional caveats: Evacuation zone letters and surge risk categories vary by county and state — Zone A in one county may not correspond to the same risk level as Zone A in the next. NFIP flood zone maps (A zones, V zones, X zones) use different criteria than surge evacuation zones and should not be conflated. Shelter-in-place decisions must account for local building codes, which differ significantly between Florida wind-rated construction and older housing stock in other coastal states.

Safety stakes: high-criticality topic — recommended to verify thresholds before acting.

Next 3 links:

→ Grid-down scenarios — a major hurricane's most lasting effect is extended power outage; that page covers durations and what each phase requires
→ Communications planning — out-of-area contact protocol and radio backup are critical when cell networks congest during evacuation
→ Fuel management — vehicle fuel and portable can reserves determine whether your evacuation window stays open