Before the Storm

What to do when a storm threatens or is approaching

storm alert

Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook

Outside the Home

Checklist: Outside the home

WHEN THE STORM THREATENS: Refill special medications. Get cash (ATMs may not work for days after). Don’t charge credit cards to the limit; you might need extra cash after the storm.

Inside the Home

Susana Raab / Palm Beach Post

Follow these steps in your home prior to the storm: WHEN A STORM THREATENS Seal key documents — including passports, wills, contracts, insurance papers, car titles, deeds, leases and tax information — in zip plastic bags and get into a protected, dry place, such as a safe-deposit box or home safe.

At a Glance

Checklist: Outside the home

Shutters and window coverings

What’s the best roof?

Landscapes: Trees and yard

Securing your boat

Pools: Before and after tips

Garage doors: How to know if yours will fail?

Generator maintenance

How to prepare your business

Storing gas

At a Glance

Insurance: Find the right coverage

Evacuation

Mental Health

Tips for coping with the stress

How will you cope? Authorities and mental health professionals offer these tips. There is the rush to prepare, the nervous anticipation, the unsettling period during the storm, the loss of property, scavenging gas, or just living without power for a few days.