Hurricane Prep Checklist by Evacuation Zone in 2026

Hurricane preparation is the most predictable disaster planning in North America. Storms form 3 to 7 days out, intensify on a known track, and arrive in a forecastable window. Despite the advance warning, hurricane casualties remain high because residents underprepare, evacuate too late, or shelter inappropriately for their location. This guide is organized by evacuation zone because the right preparation is fundamentally different for a barrier island resident versus an inland Zone C resident. The basics apply to everyone; the specifics differ by zone.

Zone basics

Coastal counties divide their territory into evacuation zones based on surge modeling. The lettering and details differ by state, but the principle is consistent:

• Zone A: Barrier islands and immediately adjacent shoreline. Surge risk in any hurricane, evacuation in any Category storm.
• Zone B: Low-lying mainland coast. Surge risk in Category 2 and higher.
• Zone C: Slightly inland, lower elevation. Surge risk in Category 3 and higher.
• Zone D and E: Inland but at risk from inland flooding and high winds. Surge risk in Category 4 and 5 only.
• Inland (no zone): Wind damage and inland flooding risk. Evacuation rarely ordered.

Confirm your zone by your county emergency management website or by calling 211 in most US states.

Zone A and B: Evacuation focus

If you live in Zone A or B, your prep priority is evacuation readiness, not riding out the storm. Your home will likely flood from surge regardless of how well you board it up. Survival depends on being elsewhere.

Permanent prep:

• Identify two evacuation destinations, one 100 miles inland and one 300 miles inland. Hotels, family, or friends.
• Pre-register for any state-level evacuation programs if applicable.
• Maintain transportation reliability. Vehicles serviced, full tank policy from June through November.
• Document home contents with photos and video stored in cloud and on a thumb drive.
• Maintain flood insurance and wind insurance separately (most standard policies exclude both).
• Keep evacuation cash ($500 to $1500 in small bills) accessible.

At 72 hours (Watch issued):

• Top off vehicles
• Confirm destination accommodations
• Withdraw cash if low
• Review evacuation route alternatives
• Charge all electronic devices

At 48 hours:

• Pack evacuation bags (clothing 5 days, medications, documents, valuables, pet supplies)
• Decide who is going and in what vehicles
• Communicate plan to out-of-area family

At 36 hours (Warning issued, evacuation order likely):

• Leave. Do not wait for traffic to clog. Do not wait to see what the storm does.
• Secure home: lock windows and doors, turn off water main, turn off gas if instructed, leave power on so the refrigerator runs as long as possible.
• Take pets. Many shelters now accept pets but plans are easier when you arrive ahead of crowds.

At 24 hours:

If you have not evacuated and the order is in effect, you are out of compliance with the order and emergency services will not respond to your address during the storm. Evacuate now if possible; otherwise shelter in the most interior part of the home, top floor if surge is the concern, lowest floor if wind is the concern, and accept the situation.

Zone C: Mixed decision

Zone C residents typically face a real decision: evacuate or shelter. For Category 1 and Category 2 storms, sheltering is often appropriate. For Category 3 and higher, evacuation is usually the better call.

Permanent prep:

• Identify shelter location within the home (interior room, no windows, lowest floor unless flooding is the threat)
• Install hurricane shutters or maintain plywood and hardware
• Generator (portable or standby) with fuel
• 14 day water supply
• 14 day food supply (canned and shelf-stable)
• Flood and wind insurance
• Roof inspection annually (loose tiles, soffits, ridge vents)
• Tree maintenance: remove dead limbs and trees that could fall on the home

At 72 hours:

• Decide: evacuate or shelter
• Fuel vehicles
• Stock perishables (ice, fresh food for first 3 days of outage)
• Test generator (run for 30 minutes under load)

At 48 hours:

• Install shutters or plywood on windows
• Secure or remove outdoor items (furniture, grills, decorations, trash cans, plant pots)
• Fill bathtubs with water for flushing toilets after outage
• Fill freezer-safe containers and freeze for cooler use later
• Final grocery run for fresh items

At 24 hours:

• Final fuel top-off
• Test backup communications (weather radio, emergency contacts)
• Charge all devices and battery banks
• Place important documents in waterproof bag in shelter location

During the storm:

• Stay inside, away from windows
• Do not open the door during the eye (the back side often hits harder)
• Listen to weather radio for updates
• Avoid generator use until storm passes (CO risk)

Zone D, E, and inland

Inland residents face wind damage, inland flooding from rain bands, tornadoes spawned from outer bands, and post-storm power outages.

Permanent prep:

• Roof inspection (loose tiles, soffits, ridge vents)
• Tree maintenance
• Sump pump and battery backup if in flood-prone area
• 7 to 14 day water and food supply
• Portable or standby generator
• Insurance review (rainfall flooding often excluded unless flood policy in place)

At 72 hours:

• Storm path confirmation. Inland storms often weaken faster than predicted, but flooding intensifies as the storm slows and dumps rain.
• Stock supplies

At 48 hours:

• Secure outdoor items
• Move vehicles to high ground if flood prone
• Generator test

At 24 hours:

• Final preparations
• Identify tornado shelter in home (basement or interior bathroom)

During the storm:

• Monitor weather radio for tornado warnings
• Stay away from windows
• Be ready for extended power outage (3 to 10 days is realistic for inland hurricanes)

Universal supply list

Regardless of zone, every coastal household should maintain:

• 14 days of water (1 gallon per person per day)
• 14 days of shelf-stable food
• Manual can opener
• Flashlights with spare batteries
• Battery or hand-crank weather radio
• First aid kit
• 7 day supply of all prescription medications
• Hygiene supplies
• N95 masks
• Cash in small bills
• Whistle
• Multi-tool
• Tarps and zip ties for emergency roof patching
• Wet wipes and trash bags
• Camp stove and fuel if cooking will be needed

Insurance review timing

Hurricane insurance policies often have a 30 day waiting period before coverage begins. This means policy changes during hurricane season (June to November) do not take effect until after a named storm forms in many cases. Review policies in April or May before season starts.

Specific items to verify:

• Wind coverage included (not just general homeowner)
• Flood policy in place (separate from wind, federal NFIP or private)
• Hurricane deductible understood (often 1 to 5 percent of dwelling value, separate from standard deductible)
• Replacement cost vs actual cash value coverage
• Personal property coverage adequate for current inventory

Post-storm priorities

• Wait for the official all-clear before leaving shelter
• Avoid downed power lines
• Use generators outdoors only, 20+ feet from any opening
• Document damage with photos before cleanup
• File insurance claims early
• Boil water until municipal system confirms safe drinking water restored
• Avoid wading in flood water (chemicals, sewage, snakes, debris)

See the methodology page for our preparedness evaluation framework. The generator portable vs standby and emergency water storage articles cover specific equipment in detail.

Frequently asked questions