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Emergency kit for hurricane season: stock it before June

By the Plain Prepper editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

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Quick answer

NOAA says to build a hurricane kit before the season opens on June 1 in the Atlantic, while shelves are still stocked. Plan for each person to have at least 3 days of food, water and medicine, and store more water if you can. NOAA warns power and water could be out for weeks. Ready.gov counts one gallon of water per person per day. Add a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, flashlights, extra batteries, cash, and copies of documents kept in a waterproof container. Keep a separate three-day go bag ready in case you must evacuate.

When to build it: before the season starts

Basin	Season, per NOAA and Ready.gov
Atlantic and Caribbean	June 1 to November 30
Central Pacific (includes Hawaii)	June 1 to November 30
Eastern Pacific	May 15 to November 30

NOAA's advice is to gather supplies well before the season, while stores are stocked, rather than when a storm is in the forecast. It also flags insurance timing: flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period, and home and renters policies do not cover flooding. CDC adds that hurricanes can cause damage hundreds of miles from the shore, so inland households need a kit too.

Two layers: stay-home supplies and a go bag

NOAA notes you need supplies whether you evacuate or shelter in place, and for an aftermath that may be long. Split the kit in two:

• Stay-home supply: food, water and medicine for at least 3 days per person, with extra water if possible, because NOAA says power and water could be out for weeks. Ready.gov warns you may not be able to get supplies for days or even weeks after a hurricane.
• Go bag: NOAA says enough for at least three days, plus chargers, hygiene products, documents and your written communication plan. CDC's evacuation list adds cell phone, medicines, ID and cash.
• Pets: NOAA notes most public shelters only allow service animals, so pack pet food and water and plan where pets can stay.

Water: the number to plan around

Ready.gov counts one gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation. Plain arithmetic for a household of four:

Days	Water for 4 people
3 days (NOAA minimum)	12 gallons
7 days	28 gallons
14 days	56 gallons

When a storm is coming, CDC says to fill clean containers with drinking water and fill sinks and bathtubs for washing. Add pet water on top; Ready.gov lists extra water for pets separately. See our water storage containers guide for ways to hold larger amounts.

The hurricane checklist

Ready.gov's basic kit, with the hurricane extras NOAA and CDC name:

• Food and water: several days of non-perishable food, a manual can opener, water as above.
• Alerts and light: a battery or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, flashlights and extra batteries.
• Power for phones: chargers and a backup battery; NOAA suggests a crank or solar-powered USB charger.
• Health: first aid kit, prescription and over-the-counter medicines, glasses, infant and hygiene supplies.
• Documents and cash: insurance policies, ID, medical documents, wills and passports, saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container; NOAA also suggests photos and serial numbers of your belongings.
• Tools and shelter: whistle, dust mask, plastic sheeting, duct tape, wrench or pliers for utilities, fire extinguisher, local maps.

Ready.gov says to store items in airtight plastic bags, in one or two easy-to-carry containers, and to replace expired items and review the kit every year.

Storm week: watch, warning and the last steps

CDC explains the alerts: a hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible and is issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected; a warning means they are expected and comes 36 hours ahead. When a storm threatens:

• Charge phones and fill or charge the vehicle (NOAA, CDC).
• Bring in bikes, lawn furniture, grills and propane tanks, and cover windows with shutters or plywood (CDC).
• Check your carbon monoxide alarm's battery, which CDC lists for storm prep.
• Follow evacuation orders right away. Ready.gov warns that six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down and one foot can sweep a vehicle away.
• If trapped by flooding, go to the highest level but not into a closed attic, per Ready.gov.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

What should be in a hurricane emergency kit?

Water, non-perishable food, medicine, a NOAA Weather Radio, flashlights, batteries, first aid, cash, phone chargers and documents in a waterproof container, per Ready.gov and NOAA.

How much water do I need for a hurricane?

Ready.gov says one gallon per person per day; NOAA says at least 3 days and more if possible, so a family of four needs 12 gallons for 3 days.

When should I prepare a hurricane kit?

Before June 1 for the Atlantic season, NOAA advises, while stores are stocked; flood insurance also needs a 30-day wait.

What is the difference between a hurricane watch and warning?

CDC says a watch means hurricane conditions are possible, issued 48 hours ahead; a warning means they are expected, issued 36 hours ahead.

Sources

• Hurricanes, Ready.gov (FEMA)
• Build a kit, Ready.gov (FEMA)
• Prepare before hurricane season, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Get moving when a storm threatens, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Preparing for hurricanes or other tropical storms, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• WR120 NOAA Weather and Emergency Alert Radio, Midland
• Carbon monoxide questions and answers, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Sources checked 2026-10-15.