ORLANDO – The message from experts at the National Hurricane Conference held in Orlando this spring was clear for anyone living in a hurricane-prone area: the time to prepare is not when a storm is named. It is right now.
The conference is the nation’s primary forum for hurricane education and training, and brought together meteorologists, emergency managers, and officials from across the country to share best practices and new tools heading into hurricane season.
National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Michael Brennan said preparation starts with the basics.
“Now’s the time to start gathering that emergency supply kit,” Brennan said. “Have seven days of food, water, medicine, batteries, any other kind of critical needs you might have.”
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Know your zone before a storm forms
One of the first things every household should determine is whether they live in an evacuation zone — and if so, where they would go.
Brennan emphasized that evacuating does not mean driving hundreds of miles. A safe shelter could be just a few miles away, but it still requires a plan made well in advance.
“If you’re going to be asked to leave, then you have to at least have some plan to go somewhere else — to a friend or neighbor, a loved one that lives outside of that evacuation zone, or have a plan to go to a shelter,” Brennan said. “You can go to your county emergency management website, find out where shelters are, find out how to deal with your pets.”
For residents in newer homes built to current codes, sheltering in place may be an option — as long as they are outside of storm surge, evacuation, and flood zones.
“If you’re in a well-built home, a modern home that’s up to code, a lot of those can be your hurricane shelter,” Brennan said. “If you have your shutters and your roof up to code, a lot of people can shelter in their homes, and that can really be the basis of your plan.”
Build your kit over time
A seven-day hurricane supply kit for a family of four carries a real cost.
Brennan said the key is to start small and build steadily.
“You buy three or four things a week, you can start to chip away at that list,” he said. “And then by the time you get into the hurricane season, you’re in pretty good shape. And then you kind of refresh and restock the supplies as we go from June, July into the peak months of September, October and beyond.”
Hurricane cone redesigned for 2026
This year, the National Hurricane Center updated its forecast cone to include inland wind and flood risks — not just coastal threats. The change follows storms like Hurricane Helene, which produced destructive winds deep into Georgia and the Carolinas.
Warning Coordination Meteorologist Robbie Berg said the update addresses a longstanding gap in how the cone communicated risk.
“For so many years, the cone only showed the watches and warnings on the coast — we were kind of leaving people out,” Berg said. “Starting this year, you’ll find coastal and inland watches and warnings all painted together.”
Berg said residents should also resist the urge to focus only on where a storm is projected to make landfall.
“Don’t follow that skinny black line on the cone,” Berg said. “A hurricane is not a point. A hurricane is big. It can cause a lot of weather outside the cone itself. You need to be understanding what your risk is of wind, storm surge, heavy rainfall, and tornadoes.”
Preparedness is a community effort
Dr. Brennan closed with a reminder that hurricane readiness extends beyond a single household.
“If you do have that experience within your community, help those new neighbors, the friends you meet, help them understand what they need to do to prepare,” Brennan said. “Hurricane preparedness is really a community effort. In the aftermath of a very high-end event, you’re going to be relying on your friends and neighbors to help you survive those first few days before the help can arrive from outside sources.”