Prepping in Orlando
Orlando is far enough inland to avoid storm surge, but not hurricanes. Ian in 2022 flooded neighborhoods across Orange County, and Milton in 2024 cut power to much of the region.
- Hurricanes
- Flooding
- Lightning and heat
Sign up today
The official Orlando alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- OCAlertSign up for OCAlert
Orange County's free emergency alerts for severe weather, flash flooding, shelters and evacuations.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Orlando
- Inland flooding
- Hurricane Ian in 2022 dropped heavy rain on Orange County and flooded homes in several neighborhoods.
- Hurricane winds and outages
- Hurricane Milton in 2024 knocked out power to much of Central Florida.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical systems often spin up tornadoes well inland.
- Lightning and heat
- Central Florida sees some of the most lightning in the country, plus long, hot summers.
What that means for your plan
Most Orlando households shelter in place for hurricanes. Plan for at least a week without power: water, no-cook food, a power station for phones and fans, and a generator only outdoors.
If you live in a mobile or manufactured home, plan to go to a sturdier building or a shelter for any hurricane.
Know whether your street or neighborhood floods. Ian showed that inland retention ponds and lakes can overflow into homes.
Do these first, in this order
- OCAlert
Storm, flood and shelter updates.
Radios and communication guide - Power for a week-long outage
Power station inside, generator outdoors only.
Power stations and generators guide - Two weeks of water
Plus a bathtub bladder before landfall.
Water storage and filters guide - A week of no-cook food
Stores empty days ahead.
Emergency food and cooking guide - Documents in a waterproof bag
For insurance claims.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - Battery CO alarms
Generator CO deaths follow every big storm.
Power stations and generators guide
Questions
Do I need to evacuate Orlando for a hurricane?
Usually not, unless you live in a mobile home, a flood-prone area, or rely on power for medical needs. Most residents shelter in place. Follow Orange County's orders through OCAlert.
How do I sign up for OCAlert?
Sign up through Orange County's OCAlert page. It's free and takes a few minutes.
How ready is your Orlando home?
The quiz weights every item for hurricane coast risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.