Hurricane season begins, officially, on June 1.
Unofficially, we know storms don't always wait for the date. Since 2003, there have been 15 tropical cyclones that have formed before June. And this season is shaping up to be a particularly bad one.
Colorado State University meteorologists are expecting an "extremely active" season, AccuWeather predicts an "explosive" season that could break the record of 30 named storms and Florida's Dr. Ryan Truchelut,chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger calls the new season "hyperactive." All of them expect at least 20-24 named storms and around four to seven major hurricanes.
The best time to get ready is before you need to. Prepping for a storm is much easier and less nerve-wracking whilethe sky is still blue.
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Getting your house and yard ready for hurricane season
There's obviously no need to start boarding up your windows now.
But you might want to start watching for good prices on plywood or sales on storm shutters and buy your supplies early, rather than fighting your way past everyone else at Home Depot when the cone graphics pop up on TV.
If you've got room in the garage or storage area, get your plywood early, leisurely cut it to size for your windows and sliding doors, and stash it for when you might need it. (Don't tape your windows.)
Before the storm:Shutters and window coverings
Walk around your yard and look for areas that will be a problem when the wind picks up. Your patio furniture can stay for now, but go ahead and trim your trees and shrubs, get rid of any yard debris and remove dead trees and branches.
If you need help with that, it'll be much easier (and possibly cheaper) to do it now than after the storm when there's a waiting list.
Clean out your gutters.
Is your house leaking anywhere? How's your weatherstripping? Now's the time to deal with that, while things are dry. If your house is made of wood, check its structural connections. Give your roof a look for loose shingles or flashing or anything else that can be tightened up, nailed down or replaced.
Garage doors are usually a very vulnerable part of the house. Are yours in good, sturdy shape?
If you have any fences, decorative fountains,satellite dishes, solar panels, gazebos or other big outside structures, check them for damage and repair or replace anything that might come loose. Make sure you have hurricane straps for anything, like a shed, that might need additional anchoring.
Get some tarps. With luck you won't need them, but ...
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Getting ready inside for hurricane season
Let's face it, if you've lived in Florida for more than a year you already know the drill. It's just a lot easier when everyone else isn't rushing to Publix.
Inventory your household belongings. Take pictures and store them on a flash drive or in the cloud. Check your homeowner's insurance, and make sure you have flood coverage. (If not, get it now, if you can afford it.)
Stock up on nonperishable food. If you do it early, you have a better chance of getting stuff you actually like when it's on sale. Water, rain gear, cleaning supplies, batteries, hand-or-solar-powered chargers for your phones, hygiene items for yourself and any kids. Got a grill? Go ahead and get extra propane cylinders or charcoal.
Get three-month supplies of your regular medications, if yourmedical plan allows it. If not, be aware Florida Statute 252.538 waives time restrictions on prescription medication refills under certain conditions.
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If your home regularly loses power in storms, it might be time to start shopping for a generator.If you do, also get battery-powered, carbon-monoxide detectors inside your home.
Start making your emergency kits. Flashlights, batteries, first aid, a battery-powered radio.
Florida's2024Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday runs from Saturday, June 1 through Friday, June 14. During that time, there is no sales tax on specific items for storm prepping, such as flashlights under $40, tarps under $100, batteries under $50, generators $3,000 or less, and more. Use itwisely. There's a second disaster tax holiday this year from Aug. 24 through Sept. 6.
Go ahead and set your most valuable papers aside to put into a waterproof container, to be kept on the highest level of your home.
You may not need to fill your gas tank just yet, but get your vehicles checked out to find potential problems now.
Take care of your pets before the storm comes
Got pets? Now's the time to plan what to do with them. Most shelters won't allow pets so research to find pet-friendly ones. You'll also want to get extra supplies of any food or medications they need.
If your pets have not been microchipped, get that done now and email a copy of the paperwork to yourself so you can access it if you're not at home.You also should get an ID tag for your pet with your mobile phone number on it, if your petdoesn't already have one.
Take new pictures of your pet from all angles (assuming you don't already have a phone full of them) and store them online or email them to yourself.
Make sure you have a crate and/or carrier for your pet in case you need to evacuate. And find your pet's vaccination paperwork now; you'll need it for hotels or shelters.
Never too early to care of your animals:Hurricane preparation for pet, livestock owners
Make your hurricane plans now
Does everyone in the house or apartment know what to do if a storm comes? Go ahead and discuss among yourselves now how you'll get in touch with each other, where you will go, and what you'll do in case of emergency. Remember that in severe stormsituations, phone service may be spotty or unavailable.
Talk to your neighbors and compare plans, and make sure everyone has contact information.
Transit service ends when sustained winds near tropical storm force, so if you rely on buses decide now how and when you'll get around.
If you have chronic illnesses or other medical issues, make sure ahead of time you'll have an adequate supply of any needed medications, oxygen, etc.
Additional sources to help you prepare your home for a hurricane
- AccuWeather: What do I need in my emergency food kit?
- National Hurricane Center: National Hurricane Preparedness
- Florida Disaster.org checklist
- FEMA basic disaster supplies kit
- Red Cross kit
Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida contributed to this story.
