Hurricane Helene Barrels Toward 5 States To Become Strongest Storm in a Year: Experts Reveal Tips on How To Prepare

Hurricane Helene intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday morning and is expected to continue strengthening as it barrels toward Florida.

It’s on track to make landfall late Thursday on Florida’s Gulf Coast—and experts say it could be Category 3 by then. It’s potentially on the path to becoming the strongest hurricane in a year.

“This is a life-threatening situation,” the National Hurricane Center warned.

Which states will Hurricane Helene hit?

Hurricane Helene is expected to affect not only Florida, but also much of the Southeast—and officials are warning residents to batten down the hatches.

Tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, while Florida’s west coast and Georgia’s Coffee County are under a hurricane warning.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties in the state, and evacuations have been ordered across Florida’s coastline. (This is the full list of evacuation orders.)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency for all 159 counties in the state.

Meanwhile, 32 million people are under flood watches and 12 million people are under tornado watches in Florida, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

What to do before evacuating from a hurricane

It’s important to listen to local officials and heed evacuation orders when they are given. Don’t wait.

But if you have time before that happens, homeowners should have a plan in place in case they’re forced to evacuate.

Below are a few simple steps on how to evacuate before a natural disaster, so you can help protect your home and family.

1. Decide where to go: If you’re in a coastal area, identify an inland location where you can stay if time allows before the storm arrives.
2. Develop an evacuation plan: Check to make sure your home insurance policy is up to date, stock up on emergency supplies like water and nonperishable food items, and make sure you have refills of any necessary prescriptions.
3. Prepack a ‘go bag’ ahead of time: Pack water, snacks, flashlights, batteries, chargers, prescriptions, and a change of clothes.
4. Create a binder of necessary information: It should include copies of important documents like birth certificates, passports, insurance information, and Social Security cards. Also, add any paperwork for your pets.
5. Document the state of your home before you leave: If you have time before evacuation, snap photos and videos of your property. Before you go, shut off utilities, move your cars to higher ground, and lock your home.

How to financially prepare for a natural disaster

As millions brace for Hurricane Helene to make landfall, people might be wondering how to financially prepare for a natural disaster such as this one.

According to Bankrate’s 2024 Extreme Weather Survey, more than a quarter of U.S. homeowners say they’re financially unprepared for the costs associated with extreme weather events. But 44.8% of homes in America confront at least one type of severe or extreme climate risk, according to the 2024 Realtor.com® Housing and Climate Risk Report.

Here are five steps you can take to financially to prepare for extreme weather.

1. Protect your home from hurricanes: When it comes to extreme weather, protecting your home now can prevent a big bill later. Hurricane shutters and metal grates can provide a secure barrier against flying debris, high winds, and heavy rainfall. “They can help prevent breakages to windows and doors that can lead to a high cost in repair damages,” says Steve Leasure, vice president of operations at Rainbow Restoration in Waco, TX.
2. Protect your home from flooding: To prevent flooding, “it is critical, especially in flood zones, for homeowners to ensure the ground around their homes slopes downward and away from the foundation,” says disaster preparedness expert Peter Duncanson, who is vice president of training and development at ServiceMaster Restore in Atlanta. This helps stop water from seeping into the home and reduces the risk of water damage, foundation issues, and basement flooding. If you live in a high-risk flood zone or regularly experience flooding, raising the elevation of your home can also be a good idea.
3. Check what your existing insurance covers: Extreme weather events that are typically not covered by a standard homeowners policy are earthquakes and flooding—but homeowners can purchase additional policies for those events. When it comes to hurricanes, wind damage is normally covered, while flooding is not.
4. Find out your deductibles: Knowing your deductible amount is as important as knowing what you’re covered for. A separate hurricane deductible or “named storm deductible” might be required for hurricane-related wind damage, especially in coastal cities, according to Cassie Sheets, a data journalist at Insurify in Cambridge, MA.
5. Create a home inventory list: Take photos of all of your possessions—and ideally save an electronic file or keep it off your property so you could access it off-site. In the event of an extreme weather event, this information will make filing future insurance claims so much easier. It will also help you get reimbursed faster, which will put money back in your pocket at a time you need it most.