Your choices could mean the difference between life and death. Here’s how to survive a hurricane, according to one of the world’s top storm chasers.
I’m a hurricane chaser, so I know a thing or two about how to survive a hurricane. I haven’t been studying them from a distance either: I’ve spent nearly 35 years getting right into the eye of more than 80 storms. In that time, I’ve been in some of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the United States—and many of the strongest in the world.
As a chaser, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of taking hurricane safety seriously. In 2013, I was in the Philippines during Super Typhoon Haiyan. I was in a low-lying city, and the storm surge—caused by hurricane winds pushing ocean water onto land—rose like a tsunami. The water was rising at our hotel, and I knew people were going to drown inside their rooms. So a couple of guys and I smashed the windows and dragged people out, floating them across the lobby on mattresses to get them up the stairs.
Luckily, everyone at our hotel lived. But outside, thousands of people died because they didn’t realize the importance of elevation. The fact is, if you’re living in an area prone to typhoons or hurricanes, you can increase your chances of survival by learning from the mistakes of others. And when it comes to hurricane mistakes, I’ve seen them all.
Ahead, I’ll walk you through how to survive a hurricane. Keep reading to learn the top seven mistakes I often see people make during these potentially deadly storms—and what you should do instead.
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1. Believing distance equals safety
In a hurricane, the No. 1 most important thing to consider is your elevation. Believe it or not, this is even more important than how far you are from the water. If you’re in a low-lying area, you could be 20 miles inland (or more!), and the storm surge can still get you. Why? Because if you’re just two feet above sea level, it doesn’t matter that you’re really far from the ocean—you’re not safe.
Don’t believe me? Elevation was partly to blame for what happened in 1957 when Hurricane Audrey struck Louisiana. People in a town 20 miles from the coast thought they were safe. They weren’t. Hundreds of people in that town died because the water came so far inland.
Likewise, when Hurricane Ian hit Florida in 2022, many people drowned in the storm surge because they didn’t understand that their elevation was so low that the water would get them. The storm surge is a hurricane’s biggest killer.
2. Getting into a car during the storm
You really don’t want to be in a car during a hurricane, no matter how badly you want to get out of town with your emergency go-bag. If you’re in a car, the wind could flip it. A falling tree could crush it. Or a collapsing building could squash it like a little tuna fish can.
In 2019, I was in the Bahamas during Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm. (Hurricanes are measured by the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale and numbered from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most intense.) When it was over, the land looked like Siberia in the winter. All the trees had been turned into sticks. Parked cars had been thrown around like toys and mutilated, their hoods torn open and their engines torn out, all from the force of the wind.
The same is true of mobile homes. They’re death traps in any hurricane, even Category 1 storms. Take it from me: Get out of those ASAP before it’s too late.
3. Overestimating hurricane experience
Let’s say a Category 4 hurricane comes ashore. Cat 4 storms have winds reaching up to 156 mph, but folks outside of the direct hit zone may only see winds gusting to 75 mph. The tide may rise a couple of feet. Afterward, they think, Oh, I survived a Category 4 hurricane. But they haven’t.
I’ve entered the core of 81 hurricanes. For the uninitiated, the core is the calm eye at the center of the storm, plus the eyewall—the ring containing the most violent winds and heaviest rains—where most of the destruction happens. I’m not aware of anyone, dead or alive, who has been in the core of more hurricanes.
So believe me when I say: These people missed the worst of it. When the next Category 4 hurricane comes, they think, Oh, yeah, I’ve done this before. I know how to survive a hurricane. It’s no big deal. I’m going to stay in my home. That’s how people die.
There’s a big difference in what you experience during a hurricane if you’re in a direct-hit zone. Pay attention to local meteorologists and emergency preparedness messages so you’ll know your risk. If your area is likely to be in a direct-hit zone, evacuate and move to higher ground before the storm hits.
4. Taping windows before the storm
Let me save you some time: Taping your windows is a completely stupid waste of time. It doesn’t do anything to help you survive a hurricane, and it may even make things worse. Don’t do it.
That said, smart homeowners cover their windows with shutters or boards if they can do it safely before the hurricane arrives.
5. Opening windows during the storm
There’s this weather myth that says you should open a couple of windows to let the air pass through or ventilate the building … or something. The reverse is actually true: You want your house to be sealed absolutely tight during a hurricane. You don’t want any air to get in. Opening windows is how the roof comes off, and then it’s game over.
6. Going outside once the storm calms down
You’re in the eyewall, going through the worst part of the hurricane. It’s crazy: Roofs are ripping off buildings. The wind sounds like a train. It’s raining so hard you can’t see. And then all of a sudden, it stops. Maybe the sun comes out. And it’s so calm—you could build a house of cards outside.
That calm can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to hours, depending on how big the eye is. But the storm’s not over.
Many people don’t understand that when they get in the eye, they’re only halfway through the storm. So they go outside and start walking around, and then all of a sudden, the backside of the hurricane hits (from the opposite direction, of course, because it’s a circle). This happens fast: Wind speed can go from zero to hurricane-force in a minute.
Want to know how to survive a hurricane when the eye arrives? Just stay inside.
7. Driving through standing water
The storm is over, and you have places to be (like the hardware store) and things to do (like replacing the mailbox). Or maybe you’re out and about, trying to help others after this natural disaster. While the roads may look drivable without torrents of rain, beware the standing water. Don’t assume you can drive through a portion of the road that’s flooded.
People constantly misjudge the height or the depth of a “puddle.” Do the same, and you risk destroying your car or, worse, losing your life. Think about it: You may not realize just how deep the water is until it’s too late. All of a sudden, the car just dunks in really fast, and it fills with water. Once the water starts coming in, you can’t open the door because of the pressure. It’s a horrible way to die.
The bottom line: When you come across a flooded road after a hurricane, turn the car around.
How to survive a hurricane
As you can see, I take hurricane safety seriously. Preparedness is key: There’s a lot you can do to be ready for the next storm, from stocking up on non-perishable food items to making sure you have a home emergency kit.
But understanding how to survive a hurricane goes beyond typical preparedness tasks. You have to be smart in the midst of a storm—and after it. Learn from the mistakes of the past by committing the above tips to memory, and don’t fall prey to these common dangers.
About the expert
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on how to survive a hurricane, longtime journalist Laurie Budgar interviewed Josh Morgerman, a hurricane chaser with more than 30 years of experience and the host of the YouTube channel iCyclone. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Josh Morgerman, hurricane chaser at iCyclone; interviewed, 2023
- YouTube: “iCyclone”
- National Weather Service: “Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale”
- National Ocean Service: “What is storm surge?”
