Key Points

• Hurricanes are multi-hazard events: inland flooding, storm surge, extreme winds, tornadoes, rip currents, and secondary effects (chemical spills, fires, infrastructure failures, prolonged outages).
• Inland flooding is the most underestimated and deadliest risk; you don’t have to live on the coast to be in danger (Harvey 2017; Helene 2024 in the Appalachians; Ida 2021 in NYC).
• The Saffir-Simpson category measures wind only—“just a Cat 1” can still be deadly due to rain and surge.
• Start now: Check your address in Triple-I’s Resilience tool and your FEMA Flood Map—then act on what you learn.

September is National Preparedness Month, and this week, let’s focus on knowing your risk. Too often, people assume they’re safe because they don’t live on the coast, or because the forecast shows a “weak” storm. But every hurricane is a bundle of hazards — and depending on where you live, your risk might look very different than your family member across town or friend who lives in another state.

1. Inland Flooding (Freshwater) — The Risk That Finds Everyone

Inland flooding is the most underestimated hazard and is also the most deadly. Over the last several decades, NOAA has reported inland flooding as the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths.

• Hurricane Harvey (2017) stalled and dropped over 60 inches of rain in Texas.
• Hurricane Helene (2024) unleashed catastrophic floods in Tennessee and North Carolina’s mountains, where rivers surged at double the flow of Niagara Falls.
• Hurricane Ida (2021) proved the same in New York: 11 people drowned in basement apartments after its remnants dumped extreme rainfall.

Key message: You don’t need to live on the coast to face hurricane flooding. If it rains where you are, you have risk.

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2. Storm Surge (Saltwater) — The Coastal Killer

For coastal communities, storm surge is the nightmare scenario. The National Hurricane Center notes surge has historically caused about half of all hurricane-related deaths.

Storm surge can push ocean water miles inland, overwhelm levees, and destroy infrastructure. Katrina’s surge in 2005 was a tragic example of defenses being overtopped.

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3. Extreme Winds — What Defines the Storm

The winds define a storm’s category — but not its danger. Winds topple trees, peel off roofs, and knock out power for weeks. Even a Category 1 hurricane has winds strong enough to cause major outages and damage.

The Saffir-Simpson scale (Cat 1–5) only measures sustained wind speed. It doesn’t measure rainfall or surge — which is why “weaker” storms can still be more deadly.

Key message: Don’t let “just a Cat 1” fool you.

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4. Tornadoes — The Hidden Spin-Off

Hurricanes often spawn tornadoes in their outer rainbands. They’re usually weaker (EF0–EF2), but they form quickly and with little warning. Hurricane Ivan (2004) produced over 120 tornadoes across the Southeast.

A hurricane is dangerous enough — but when you add embedded tornadoes, the threat multiplies.

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5. Rip Currents — Danger Before Landfall

Even before a hurricane makes landfall, the ocean starts pulling. Rip currents can kill swimmers hundreds of miles from the storm center.

Every year, rip currents are responsible for drownings tied to tropical storms that never officially hit land. The lesson: if there’s a hurricane offshore, stay out of the surf.

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6. Secondary Hazards — The Domino Effect

Not every hurricane death is caused by water or wind directly. Storms set off a chain reaction of hazards:

• River flooding: Rain runoff pushes rivers and creeks out of their banks.
• Landslides: Heavy rain on steep terrain triggers slides and debris flows.
• Chemical spills: Hurricane Harvey caused a chemical plant explosion near Houston.
• Electrical fires: Transformers and downed power lines spark fires during storms.
• Infrastructure failures: Dams, levees, and drainage systems collapsing under pressure.
• Prolonged power outages: Which can create heat risks, spoil food, and cut off medical equipment.

These hazards don’t always make headlines — but they’re just as dangerous in the aftermath.

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How Location Changes Your Risk

My area is no stranger to both flood and hurricane risk. But the reality is, no matter where you live, your location shapes the kind of hazard you’re most likely to face.

• Coastal areas are most vulnerable to storm surge and extreme winds.
• Inland towns and metro areas often underestimate their flooding risk, even though rainfall is now the deadliest part of most storms.
• Mountain regions face unique dangers because terrain funnels rain downhill, turning creeks into deadly flash floods.
• Urban centers like New York City have infrastructure challenges — basements, subway tunnels, and paved streets — that turn rainfall into instant flooding.

And here’s the bigger point: everybody’s getting affected nowadays. Even if hurricanes don’t make landfall in your state, their remnants can dump enough rain, spark tornadoes, or cause power outages to put your household at risk.

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How to Think About Your Own Risk

Preparedness starts with awareness. Ask yourself:

• Am I more likely to face surge, or flooding from rainfall?
• Do I live near rivers, streams, or creeks that could overflow?
• Could my home’s lowest level (a basement, garage, or ground floor) flood quickly in heavy rain?
• Does my community have a history of tornadoes or strong storm bands?
• If power goes out for days, what risks does that create for my household?

Knowing the answers to these questions makes the hazards real — not just something happening on the news. Hurricanes don’t respect lines on a map. They bring different threats to different places, and every community has a risk worth taking seriously.

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Closing: How to Take Action

Knowing your risk is the first step toward being prepared. And hurricanes are the perfect example of why risk isn’t simple.

• If you’re inland, flooding is your threat.
• If you’re coastal, surge is your threat.
• If you’re anywhere in between, you may face tornadoes, winds, and secondary hazards.

So where do you begin? Start by checking your own risk profile:

• Use the Insurance Information Institute’s Resilience Accelerator to plug in your ZIP code and see which hazards are most relevant in your area.
• Check FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center to see if your home is in a flood zone.

These tools take the big picture and make it personal. Once you know your risk, you’ll be ready to tackle the next step in National Preparedness Month