Are you starting to make a plan for hurricane season 2025?
Hillsborough County, Fla. (May 5, 2025) - It's never too early to start planning for hurricane season, which starts June 1.
This week, May 5-10, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Florida Division of Emergency Management mark Hurricane Preparedness Week, an opportunity to prepare and plan.
Last year, Hillsborough County faced off with Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Milton. Each storm was more intense and powerful than the previous storm, and residents and businesses dealt with power outages, flooding, downed trees, damaged roofs, ruined homes and properties, and challenging situations.
This year, experts predict 13 to 18 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes, three to five major hurricanes, and three to six direct impacts to the United States.
Stay Informed with HCFL Alert
Staying informed should be a top priority, and it can be done for free. Hillsborough County's HCFL Alert is a trusted source. HCFL Alert is the County's official mass notification system to send out critical messages pertaining to the lives, health, and safety of residents during emergency events such as hurricane evacuations, hazardous materials incidents, mandatory boil water notices, and flooding that has the potential to result in a loss of life or significant property damage. Residents and visitors can sign up to receive messages on home phones, work phones, via text, and email. Even devices for the hearing impaired can be registered.
Know Your Evacuation Zone and Flood Zone
Think flood zones and evacuation zones are the same? Think again.
Evacuation zones are the areas that officials may order evacuated during a hurricane. These zones are mapped by the National Hurricane Center and identify areas that will be affected by storm surge -- storm-driven waves that can inundate a community and threaten lives. Check your evacuation zone. Zones in Hillsborough County are identified from A to E, and there are parts of the county that are not in an evacuation zone.
Flood zones indicate a property's risk for flooding at any time of the year, including as a result of heavy or steady rain. This zone has nothing to do with hurricanes or other emergencies, and everything to do with your property insurance and building requirements. Find your flood zone.
A home may be in a non-evacuation zone but still be in a high-risk flood zone because of a nearby pond or stream. Alternatively, a home could be in a low-risk flood zone, but still in an early evacuation zone because of storm surge projections or high winds.
Prepare an Evacuation Kit
Everyone's evacuation kit should have these items:
- Water for drinking and bathing. Have at least one gallon of water per person, per day, for at least seven days.
- Food that does not need refrigeration such as canned goods, protein bars, and peanut butter. Try to pack enough to last three to seven days.
- A two-week supply of medications.
- Personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and toilet paper. If needed, include diapers and baby wipes.
- Important papers including home insurance policies, property inventories, and your insurance agent's name and phone number.
- A first-aid kit.
- Cash.
Have a Plan for Your Pets
During a hurricane evacuation, Hillsborough County has emergency shelters that accept pets throughout the County, but the shelters should always be a last resort. Planning ahead and making a plan for your pet is the best way to protect your pet, including where you will stay if you and your family are evacuated.
If you plan to stay with a friend or family member who also has a pet, introduce your pets ahead of time to get them comfortable with one another. If comfort can't be achieved, create a plan that includes where each pet will be contained in the house to prevent fights or injuries.
Review the Hillsborough County Disaster Planning Guide
Hillsborough County publishes a Disaster Planning Guide in English and Spanish each year to help residents prepare themselves, their families, and their homes for hurricane season.
To learn more and to prepare for hurricane season, visit HCFL.Gov/StaySafe.