Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms that can bring destructive winds, heavy rain, storm surge, flooding, and tornadoes. They matter because a storm can affect homes, roads, electricity, drinking water, and medical help over a wide area. Knowing what to do before, during, and after a hurricane helps protect your health and gives your family more time to make safe choices.
Preparedness turns a dangerous situation into a set of clear steps you can follow.
Key Facts
- Hurricane season is a time to prepare early, not a time to wait for the storm to appear.
- Storm surge is often the deadliest hurricane hazard because rising ocean water can flood coastal areas quickly.
- A safe shelter area is usually a small interior room on the lowest level that is not at risk of flooding and has no windows.
- Emergency supply goal: water needed = 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days.
- Distance from floodwater matters because just 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down, and 12 inches can move many cars.
- If officials issue an evacuation order, leave as directed because roads, bridges, and emergency services may become unsafe or unavailable.
Vocabulary
- Hurricane
- A hurricane is a large rotating tropical storm with sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour.
- Storm surge
- Storm surge is the rise of ocean water pushed onto land by hurricane winds and low air pressure.
- Evacuation
- Evacuation is the planned movement of people away from a dangerous area to a safer location.
- Floodwater
- Floodwater is water that covers normally dry land and may contain hidden hazards such as debris, sewage, chemicals, or downed power lines.
- Emergency kit
- An emergency kit is a collection of supplies such as water, food, medicine, flashlights, batteries, and important documents used during and after a disaster.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting until the hurricane warning to make a plan is unsafe because stores may be crowded, roads may close, and supplies may run out.
- Standing near windows to watch the storm is dangerous because wind can break glass and send sharp debris into the room.
- Driving through flooded roads is unsafe because water depth is hard to judge and moving water can carry away a vehicle.
- Using a generator indoors or in a garage is deadly because it can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas that cannot be seen or smelled.
Practice Questions
- 1 A family of 4 wants a 3-day emergency water supply. Using 1 gallon per person per day, how many gallons of water should they store?
- 2 A hurricane is moving toward land at 15 miles per hour and is 120 miles from the coast. How many hours are left before it reaches the coast if its speed stays the same?
- 3 Your neighborhood is under an evacuation order, but the weather still looks calm outside. Explain why leaving early is safer than waiting until winds and rain become severe.