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In Houston hurricane season runs from June through November. In my experience the worst storms have always been in August and September, but it is a good idea to be prepared early.
There are many guides available online with good advice about how to prepare for a hurricane. I like to get gear that I can also use when traveling or camping. I hope this gives you some ideas as you are coming up with your hurricane preparedness plan.
Water for Hurricanes
The general advice is to have seven gallons of water per person, and more if you have pets. This is a lot of bottled water to buy. While it is nice to have some disposable water bottles, I try to mostly use refillable bottles. When I know a storm is coming, I start filling them up.
Water Bottles
Ozarka has larger bottles of water, and I also tend to find that Trader Joe’s has some of the cheaper bottles of water.
I have several of these refillable Vapour water bottles that are my favorite for carrying around with me when traveling. While they are great for walking around and easy to clean, I do wish they were available in larger sizes.
I have several Platypus water bottles that I have used for probably over a decade each. They are incredibly durable and hold a lot of water. I never put anything other than water in them because they are harder to clean.
Refillable Water Jug
I supplement my bottled water with a large refillable water jug. I get a lot of use out of mine, because I take it with me in the car every time I drive to West Texas or any other remote area. I also always take it with me on camping trips. Most state parks or national parks have stations where you can refill them.
5 Gallon Igloo Water Cooler
It can be incredibly hot after a hurricane, and you might not have power. I fill up my 5 gallon Igloo water cooler and leave it on the kitchen counter. Fill it with as much ice as possible before the storm makes landfall, and you will be able to drink ice cold water for a long time. You can freeze a mixing bowl or other large container of water and put it in the cooler to keep it cold for a long time. I frequently take it with me when camping, but not on other road trips.
Electronics for Hurricanes
Hurricanes can knock down power lines and it can take a long time for power to come back. I did not have electricity for two weeks after Ike hit. Luckily we have much better options for battery powered supplies now. The heat in Houston in August and September can be very dangerous. If you do not already have a rechargeable fan, I highly recommend them.
Battery Powered Fans
One of my favorite pieces of hurricane preparedness gear is my large battery operated fan. I didn’t expect that it could be as powerful as it is. I like that it also has a light, and can be charged off of a USB cable. I can also use the battery of the fan to charge a cell phone in an emergency. I bring this with me whenever I go camping, or drive through remote areas in the summer.
I also have this smaller rechargeable fan which I purchased after it was recommended to me by someone who works outside all day in Houston. If I were to purchase one fan for hurricane preparedness I would go with the larger fan, but this smaller one is really great as well. The battery lasts a really long time, and it can easily fit in a backpack. I take it with me when camping or when I film walking tours.
Rechargeable Lights
Rechargeable lamps are also useful for camping. It will be surprisingly dark at night if there are widespread power outages in the city.
I have a maglite which uses regular batteries that I like, but rechargeable flashlights are also available now. In addition to hurricane preparedness I bring a flashlight with me when camping, or any time I do a road trip where I drive after dark.
Rechargeable Batteries
These rechargeable power banks will be able to keep your phone charged if there is an emergency. I was very grateful to have some during recent power outages. I also use them when traveling and to charge camera gear. Rechargeable fans and lights can also be powered off of these batteries.
If you have a larger budget you can also get much bigger power stations such as this Jackery one which has a much bigger capacity. Some of them have a lot of capacity, but can also get very expensive and probably only make sense if you intend to use them for a lot of hunting or camping trips as well.
Entertainment during a power outage
Do not underestimate the importance of entertainment. If you do not have power for several days people will get hot, bored, and cranky. Paperback books, puzzles, and board games can be a life saver. Be sure to load up music, audiobooks, and podcasts on your phone before the storm hits.
Dutch Blitz, Cover your Assets, and Regicide are card games that my family really enjoys. Regicide can also be played on a normal deck of cards.
I personally really like to to jigsaw puzzles, and a storm is a great time to do them. You can get a jigsaw puzzle with images of the National Parks or even in the shape of Texas.
I also love my Kindle, and bring it with me traveling all the time. They stay charged for a very long time, and you can load up a lot of books on them, including digital books from the library.