Prepping in Houston
Houston's disasters tend to be floods and long outages in the heat. Most people shelter in place, so the plan is about lasting a week at home, safely.
- Flooding
- Hurricanes
- Grid failures
Sign up today
The official Houston alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- AlertHoustonSign up for AlertHouston
The City of Houston's free alerts by text, email or voice call.
- ReadyHarrisGo to ReadyHarris
Harris County's weather and emergency alerts, with an accessible version in ASL, English and Spanish.
- STEAR registryRegister with STEAR
If someone in your home would need help evacuating, register with the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry online or by calling 2-1-1.
- Zip-zone evacuation mapCheck your ZIP zone
Harris County plans hurricane evacuations by ZIP code zone. Check whether your ZIP is in one on ReadyHarris.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Houston
- Flooding
- Houston's most common disaster. Hurricane Harvey dropped more than 50 inches of rain in parts of the region in 2017.
- Hurricanes
- Coastal areas near Galveston Bay face storm surge; inland neighborhoods get wind, rain and tornadoes.
- Long outages in heat
- Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 knocked out power to more than 2 million homes and businesses in the area, some for over a week.
- Winter freezes
- The February 2021 winter storm took down much of the Texas grid for days in freezing temperatures.
What that means for your plan
Run from water, hide from wind. Unless you're in a surge zone, live in a home that floods, or rely on power for medical needs, you'll probably shelter in place. Know whether your street floods, and never drive into water on roads or underpasses.
Plan for outages in heat. A power station that can run a fan overnight, cooling towels and plenty of water make a week without AC survivable. Run generators outdoors only, with battery CO alarms inside.
Standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, and flood insurance usually has a 30-day waiting period. Buy it well before a storm is on the map.
Do these first, in this order
- AlertHouston and ReadyHarris
Two sign-ups, ten minutes, and you'll hear about floods and orders.
Radios and communication guide - Power for heat outages
A power station inside, or an inverter generator 20 feet from the house.
Power stations and generators guide - Battery CO alarms
Generator carbon monoxide kills people after every Gulf storm.
Power stations and generators guide - Two weeks of water
Boil-water notices often follow floods and freezes.
Water storage and filters guide - Documents in a waterproof bag
Insurance claims start with proof.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - No-cook food for a week
Assume no stove and no fridge.
Emergency food and cooking guide
Questions
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding in Houston?
Standard homeowners policies don't cover flood damage. Flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program usually has a 30-day waiting period, so buy it before hurricane season.
How do I know if I should evacuate for a hurricane in Houston?
Check the Harris County zip-zone evacuation map on readyharris.org and follow local officials. Most of the city shelters in place; evacuation is mainly for coastal surge zones, homes that flood and people who need power for medical equipment.
How ready is your Houston home?
The quiz weights every item for hurricane coast risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.