We Lived Through Intense Hurricanes. Here's Exactly How We'd Prep For One Now.

I grew up in New Orleans, so I’ve been aware of the dangers of hurricanes for as long as I can remember. There’s a particular sense of fear and helplessness in the days leading up to a big storm as you wait to find out just how strong it will be, its exact path, and the ultimate impact on your home and community.

But there are certainly some factors that are in your hands. If you live in an evacuation zone, it’s important to leave the area or consider relocating to a local safe shelter. You can look up the shelter options and evacuation routes to formulate a plan.

Unfortunately, many people are not able to evacuate. They may be caring for elderly parents, lack the resources to leave or have mobility issues that require them to remain at home. Others live just outside the evacuation zones but still want to gear up for potential power outages, street flooding and other storm-related disruptions.

To help people prepare, I reached out to Sarah Sheffield, an earth sciences professor who frequently shares her hurricane experience and advice on X, formerly Twitter. Having grown up in North Carolina and then working in Tampa, Florida, for nearly seven years, Sheffield has spent the majority of her life in areas where these serious storms are a real threat.

“The first one I remember is Hurricane Fran,” she recalled. “Our neighborhood sustained a lot of wind damage, and we were without power and water for quite a few days. I remember the eye of the hurricane passing over our house in the middle of the night ― it was so indescribably eerie to have the extreme noise from the wind, rain, and the debris hitting our house to go into almost immediate silence for a few moments.”

During their years in Florida, she and her partner