Hazard guides
Learn the hazards
Checklists tell you what to do. These guides explain why. Each one covers how a hazard works, what the alerts mean, and the decisions you'll face when it's headed your way.
Hurricanes
How hurricane categories work
The Saffir-Simpson scale, storm surge, the forecast cone and when to evacuate.
TornadoesHow to pick a tornado shelter
The safest spot in a house or apartment, places to avoid, and the EF scale.
FloodingHow flash floods form
Why water rises in minutes, how deep is too deep, and how to check your flood risk.
Severe stormsUnderstanding severe thunderstorms
What "severe" means, the five-level outlook, hail, lightning and power outages.
Extreme heatHeat illness: how to spot it and stay cool
Heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke, who's most at risk, and what heat alerts mean.
Winter stormsGetting through winter storms and ice
Winter alerts, ice, frostbite, staying warm without power, and carbon monoxide.