What You Need To Do To Prepare Your Home And Your Family
Storm is on the way: Here's What You Need To Do To Prepare Your Home And Your Family
Hurricane season is here and it's important to be ready if you're anywhere near a hurricane zone. Here's everything you need to remember to be prepared!
Sean McBride Creator of Charleston Crafted Updated Sat, August 16, 2025
As a South Carolina resident, hurricane season is officially my least favorite time of the year. I don't like that I feel the need to constantly check to see if there is tropical activity in the distance and I hate the feeling of deciding what to do if a storm is coming.
However, just because I don't like the season doesn't mean I'm not prepared for it.
Hurricane Erin is the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season and has gained significant attention for its size and unpredicted path. While it does look like the Hurricane Erin path will curve away from the east coast of the United States this time, that doesn't mean that with the next storm we'll be so lucky.
Living in a hurricane zone teaches you to be prepared and be vigilant about your surroundings throughout the entirety of hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1st to November 1st. Hurricanes and tropical storms can both produce damaging rains and wind and can impact your area even if the path doesn't come right through your state.
And if recent history has shown us anything, being anywhere near the zone means you need to be prepared, not just if you live on the coast. So, if you're thinking about what you need to do to be prepared this hurricane season, let's take a look
How To Prepare For Hurricane Season
Storm intensity and frequency has been on the uptick for decades, and it's seemingly only going to get worse as our climate continues to change. Hurricanes aren't going to go away, so we have to be prepared to live with the after effects.
It's important to know your risk by identifying what type of FEMA zone you live in and what the likelihood is of a storm. Hopefully you've done some research, but if you're new to an area, talk to your neighbors about how storms have impacted your neighborhood in recent years.
If you are in a flood risk zone, you need to know the degree of severity and what that means for your area, so be prepared by knowing what you will likely need to do.
Additionally, if a hurricane begins to form in the Atlantic, Gulf or Caribbean, make sure you stay up to date with the NOAA path tracker so you can know where the storm is and where it might end up. Don't spend too much time listening to random "experts" online and instead focus your attention on the actual data presented by NOAA's National Hurricane Center.
Create An Emergency Evacuation Plan
The most important thing to do in an emergency hurricane situation is to listen to your local officials. If a mandatory evacuation order has been issued, listen to that order. It's not smart to try to decide whether or not you think a storm will actually hit your area badly.
If an order has been issued, make sure you know the evacuation routes and whether or not they will be opening additional lanes on the highway. It's best to leave at less busy times, if possible, and not wait until the last minute when the entire town is trying to drive out.