Your First Hurricane Season — A Real Prep Guide

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and your first one is going to feel terrifying. Deep breath — it's manageable if you're prepared. Here's what Julie and Jamie actually keep in their house: a battery-powered weather radio, a full gas can for the generator, 3 days of bottled water per person, non-perishable food, flashlights, a portable phone charger, important documents in a waterproof bag, and cash (ATMs don't work when the power's out). The biggest mistake new Floridians make? Panicking when a storm is in the Gulf and buying 47 cans of beans. The second biggest? Not taking it seriously at all. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Download the NOAA Weather app, know your evacuation zone (it's on your county's emergency management website), and have a plan for where you'd go if you had to leave. Jamie says the worst part of a hurricane isn't the storm itself — it's the three days after when there's no power and it's 95 degrees and you're eating peanut butter by flashlight. Prep for THAT.