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CITY GUIDES/TEXAS/HOUSTON

HOUSTON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

Prepare for emergencies
in Houston.

Prepare for flooding, hurricanes, extreme heat, severe wind, and winter outages. Explore local weather, find official resources, and build a household plan.

Harris County · Texas

Build my household plan →Find evacuation resources →
Downtown Houston skyline viewed from the west across Buffalo Bayou
HARRIS COUNTYHouston,
Texas
Downtown Houston across Buffalo Bayou · September 2018
Photo: David Daniel Turner · credit and license

For Houston residents, with Harris County and regional resources labeled. Verify the county and service providers for your address; nearby communities and other counties have their own instructions. Historical data and planning tools; check official sources for current conditions.

View sources ↗

CHOOSE A STARTING POINT

What do you need to prepare?

Plan for evacuationFind zone lookup, transport, and assistance resources.Review your options →Prepare your householdCalculate water, make a checklist, and save your plan.Build your plan →Understand the seasonsExplore Houston’s rainfall, summer heat, and seasonal preparation.Explore local weather →
All sections ↑My household plan →

01 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Houston weather by month

Compare monthly rainfall, typical temperatures, and days reaching 90°F. These airport averages help you schedule preparation; they are not a forecast.

Houston Intercontinental Airport · NOAA 1991–2020

Monthly averages, not a forecast. Rainfall includes the water equivalent of precipitation. Days reaching 90°F are not heat-index days.

Read all monthly values
MonthHigh °FLow °FRain inchesDays ≥90°F
January63.843.73.760
February67.847.62.970
March7453.63.470.1
April80.159.83.950.9
May86.967.85.019.5
June92.373.7623.1
July94.575.73.7727.3
August94.975.44.8427.1
September90.470.64.7118.3
October82.860.95.465
November72.651.53.870
December65.345.64.030
What the chart tells you: June averages 6.00 inches of precipitation. July and August each average about 27 days reaching 90°F. A monthly average does not show the intensity of an individual downpour or the humidity you will feel.

The station is Houston Intercontinental Airport, north of downtown. Conditions around the bay, farther inland, and inside homes can differ. The data describe 1991–2020; they are not measurements from this year. Use current NWS forecasts for day-to-day decisions.

NOAA Houston Intercontinental climate normals ↗

02 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Check your bayou, your street, and your route

Houston flood planning starts close to home. A regional rainfall total cannot tell you whether a specific street or driveway is passable.

Texas National Guard soldiers moving a rescue boat through floodwater in Houston
Houston during Hurricane Harvey, August 2017. Historical rescue scene; do not enter floodwater.Photo: 1st Lt. Zachary West / U.S. Army · Public domain

1. Find nearby gauges

Open the Harris County Flood Warning System and search your address. Check nearby rainfall and water-level stations, the observation time, and the trend. Open rainfall and bayou gauges ↗

2. Review the watershed

Use the Flood Control District’s mapping tools to identify the watershed and available floodplain information. Keep the property map separate from hurricane evacuation ZIP zones. Explore county flood maps ↗

3. Check roads before travel

Turn on High Water and Road Closures in Houston TranStar. A missing marker is not proof a road is safe. Follow closures and conditions in front of you. Open the traffic map ↗

Do not drive or walk into floodwater. You cannot judge road damage or current by looking at the surface. Never go around a flood barricade. Read NWS flood safety ↗

Write down two routes to your usual destination before bad weather. Include the streets connecting your home to the highway, not just the freeway itself. For apartments, ask how garage exits, access gates, and ground-floor equipment work during flooding and power loss.

The county warning system offers optional rainfall and water-level notifications. Choose gauges relevant to your home and route; those alerts supplement official warnings and do not predict water depth at your building.

03 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare before hurricane season starts

June through November is the official Atlantic hurricane season. Houston households also need plans for inland rain, wind damage, and loss of power.

JanPrepare & maintain
FebPrepare & maintain
MarPrepare & maintain
AprPrepare & maintain
MayPrepare & maintain
JunHurricane season
JulHurricane season
AugHurricane season
SepHurricane season
OctHurricane season
NovHurricane season
DecPrepare & maintain

ReadyHarris recommends seven days of food and water for hurricane preparation. Start with an inventory, then fill the gaps for your household and pets. A seven-day supply is a planning target, not a prediction of how long restoration will take. Harris County hurricane preparation, 2026 ↗

Before June

Confirm the evacuation ZIP-zone map, a destination, transport, and a backup contact. Schedule building-maintenance questions with your landlord or association before a storm is approaching.

When a storm threatens

Read the current local instructions and forecast. Charge devices, bring loose outdoor items inside when it is safe, and keep documents and essential supplies accessible.

When an order applies

Follow the location and timing in the official order. Check the route and destination before departure; do not infer an evacuation instruction from this calendar.

Check Harris County instructions ↗ · NWS Houston/Galveston forecasts ↗

04 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

Find your evacuation ZIP zone

Use the official regional map to check home and destination. An evacuation ZIP zone, a floodplain, and a city boundary answer different questions.

Open the regional evacuation ZIP-zone map ↗ · Find the map under ReadyHarris Resources ↗

Save a copy of the map before you need it. Record your ZIP zone if one is assigned and read the instructions for the actual event. The map supports hurricane evacuation planning; it does not show every place that can flood, and it is not an active evacuation order.

Your destination

Agree on a place with family or friends and a backup. Check that it is outside the area under an evacuation order and can accommodate pets, accessibility needs, and any equipment you bring.

Your transport

Record who is driving or helping, where you will meet, and how you will communicate. A usual bus route or ride service may not be available during an emergency.

Your building

Ask management about stairs, elevators, gates, and emergency procedures. Being outside a mapped ZIP zone does not make a building suitable for every storm.

Arrange assistance in advance

Texas’s free STEAR registry lets emergency planners know about transportation, disability, communication, and care needs. Register through the state website or call 211. Registration does not guarantee a ride, shelter placement, or another service. Maintain your own transport and caregiver arrangements and ask local emergency management how the registry is used in your community. Texas emergency assistance registry ↗

For activated shelters and local instructions, check Houston OEM and ReadyHarris. Confirm that a facility is open for this event, how to get there, and its current arrangements for pets and personal assistance. Open Houston preparedness resources ↗

05 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Plan where to cool down during an outage

Summer heat and a power outage can occur together. A charged phone helps you stay informed; your household also needs access to a cooler place.

Buffalo Bayou Park and the Houston skyline in daylight
Buffalo Bayou Park, May 19, 2022. Illustrative local scene, not a documented heat event. Image resized and display cropped.Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0

Houston OEM links to a cooling-center map. Check current availability, hours, transport, and accessibility before traveling. A listed public facility is not automatically an overnight shelter. Find Houston cooling resources ↗

Choose two destinations

Identify a place with air conditioning and a backup. Record a contact number and how everyone would get there if your normal transport is unavailable.

Check on other people

Agree who will contact household members or neighbors who need help. Ask about mobility, communication, and charging needs before an outage.

Keep heat separate from battery math

A small power station may support lighting or a phone. It does not establish safe indoor temperatures or guarantee that an air conditioner will run.

Houston OEM advises against relying on a fan as the main cooling device. Plan outdoor tasks for cooler parts of the day and follow current local heat guidance. For someone who needs powered medical equipment, arrange a specific backup plan with their care team. Houston extreme-heat resources ↗

06 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Know where to shelter from wind and tornadoes

Hurricanes are not the only storms that can disrupt Houston. The NWS archive includes the May 16, 2024 derecho—a widespread, damaging wind event.

Keep more than one way to receive warnings, including overnight. Learn your building’s shelter location and how to reach it without waiting for an elevator. A thunderstorm warning deserves attention even when no hurricane is nearby. NWS Houston/Galveston event stories ↗

A sturdy building

For a tornado warning, use a safe room or a small interior room away from windows on the lowest suitable level. Follow official instructions for your location.

An apartment or workplace

Ask where the designated shelter is. Identify the route beforehand, including a way to assist anyone who cannot use stairs easily.

A mobile home

Identify a nearby sturdy shelter in advance and arrange how to get there before severe weather arrives. A mobile home is not a safe tornado shelter.

Read NWS shelter guidance ↗

Flood and wind emergencies can require different actions. Follow the warning for your location; do not enter a flooded lower level to reach a planned shelter.

07 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare for freezes and winter outages

Houston winters are often mild, but a severe freeze can interrupt water, heat, and travel at the same time.

The NWS review of February 2021 documents extended cold, power outages, broken pipes, and road closures across Southeast Texas. This is a historical example, not a forecast of how often it will recur. NWS Southeast Texas 2021 event review ↗

Before cold arrives

Ask your landlord or a qualified plumber about protecting exposed pipes and locating the water shutoff. Keep warm clothing, blankets, lights, and drinking water accessible.

If your home loses heat

Arrange a heated destination and transport. Use the city’s winter-weather page for warming resources and current instructions. Confirm a site is open before leaving.

Before driving

Check Houston TranStar’s Ice and Road Closures layers. Postpone unnecessary travel when roads are icy; a familiar route can become unsafe.

Open Houston winter resources ↗ · Check roads ↗

Keep combustion equipment outside. Never run a generator, grill, or outdoor heater inside a home or garage. Follow the manufacturer’s outdoor placement rules and official safety guidance; keep carbon monoxide alarms working.

08 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

Build your Houston household plan

Choose a supply target, calculate water for people, and save a checklist with Houston-area contacts.

Water bottles, first-aid kit, flashlight, radio and other supplies laid out on a table
Lay out your supplies before using the checklist below. Illustrative supplies, not a complete emergency kit.Photo: Roger Brown · Pexels license
  1. 1Enter household details
  2. 2Review water and tasks
  3. 3Download your plan

STARTING WATER RESERVE

14gallons

2 people × 7 days × 1 gallon per day

For people only; add pet and individual needs.

Your household checklist

0 of 6 complete

Tracks these tasks only, not a safety score. Choices stay in this browser.

Saved only on this device

The one-gallon-per-person daily water baseline covers drinking and sanitation. Add needs for pets, heat, and your household’s circumstances. Keep water in containers you can store and move safely. See Houston’s supply guidance ↗

Seven days is the starting setting because ReadyHarris recommends a seven-day hurricane supply. Choose another duration to explore the amount you would need. Your checklist stays in this browser; download a copy for use when internet service is unavailable. Harris County hurricane preparation, 2026 ↗

09 / USE THE TOOLS

A monthly Houston preparation checklist

Choose a month for a short set of tasks. This is an editorial schedule based on local risks, not a weather forecast or an emergency order.

    Read the full year’s checklist

    January — Review your freeze plan

    • Locate the water shutoff and review pipe protection with your landlord or plumber.
    • Check blankets, lights, and drinking water.
    • Save the city’s warming-resource page.

    February — Check transport and assistance

    • Review who can help with mobility or transportation.
    • Update STEAR registration if it applies to your household.
    • Write down a second person to contact.

    March — Practice your storm shelter route

    • Choose an interior shelter location in a sturdy building.
    • Test weather-radio reception and backup batteries.
    • Review building procedures with household members.

    April — Review flood maps and routes

    • Find nearby bayou and rainfall gauges.
    • Save TranStar’s high-water and closure layers.
    • Identify two routes to a planned destination.

    May — Finish hurricane and cooling preparations

    • Check your evacuation ZIP zone and destination.
    • Review the seven-day supply target.
    • Confirm a cooler place to go during an outage.

    June — Start hurricane season with a current plan

    • Recheck city and county alert enrollment.
    • Charge portable batteries and test lighting.
    • Download a fresh household worksheet.

    July — Check cooling and power arrangements

    • Confirm access to air conditioning at your backup destination.
    • Check on anyone who needs transport assistance.
    • Measure essential device loads for the battery calculator.

    August — Keep supplies accessible during summer heat

    • Review stored water and replace used supplies.
    • Keep household and pet transport arrangements current.
    • Check official forecasts when planning outdoor work.

    September — Review hurricane and flood plans again

    • Keep emergency supplies available.
    • Check destination and out-of-area contact details.
    • Refresh saved copies of local maps.

    October — Prepare for changing temperatures

    • Hurricane season continues through November 30.
    • Inspect winter supplies and arrange pipe-protection work.
    • Check flashlights and carbon monoxide alarms.

    November — Get your winter outage plan ready

    • Confirm a heated destination and transport.
    • Save Houston’s winter-weather resources.
    • Keep hurricane supplies available through the end of the season.

    December — Review what worked this year

    • Update utility and household contacts.
    • Replace used or expired supplies.
    • Download the revised plan and share it with household members.

    Keep the basics available all year. Move a task earlier if your household, building, or forecast calls for it.

    10 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate battery runtime for your devices

    Select the equipment you want to power, then adjust its watts and daily use. Compare that load with a battery you own or are considering.

    A switched-on flashlight resting on a surface
    Include battery-powered lighting in your outage plan. Use the calculator below for devices you would power from a battery station.Photo: Steve A Johnson · Pexels license
    1. 1Select devices
    2. 2Adjust watts and daily hours
    3. 3Enter battery capacity
    Editable example device loads
    UseDeviceWattsHours/day
    Keep the scope clear: this estimate does not establish starting-watt compatibility, safe indoor temperatures, medical-device backup, or how long an outage will last. It assumes a full battery, no recharging, and the same daily device schedule.
    How the calculation works

    Daily watt-hours = watts × hours, added across selected devices. Usable energy = rated capacity × selected usable percentage. Coverage in days = usable energy ÷ daily watt-hours. The 85% starting value is an editable assumption. Actual results depend on inverter losses, idle consumption, battery age, temperature, and device behavior.

    For a Houston outage, check the delivery utility listed on your bill. Your electricity retailer and the company repairing local lines may be different. Use the city’s utility directory to find the correct outage service. City of Houston utility outage resources ↗

    11 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate Houston solar output by month

    Compare Houston’s long-term solar pattern and estimate the average daily energy from a portable panel.

    NASA POWER · 2001–2025

    NASA POWER represents a grid around central Houston, not measurements at your roof. The 2001–2025 horizontal-surface averages describe typical seasonal sunlight. Shade, orientation, cloud cover, and equipment limits change actual output.
    Data and calculation

    Estimated daily watt-hours = panel watts × monthly equivalent peak-sun-hours × delivered share. The starting 75% share is an editable example. Storm-day output may be far lower; this tool does not verify charging compatibility or promise a full battery each day.

    NASA POWER Houston solar climatology ↗

    12 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Set up Houston alerts and weather radio

    Use city and county announcements alongside NWS warnings. Check that alerts will reach you at night and during a power outage.

    AlertHouston

    Sign up for City of Houston emergency notifications by text, email, or voice. Use the enrollment link on the official city page. Set up AlertHouston ↗

    ReadyHarris

    Use county announcements for county instructions and local updates. ReadyHarris also offers accessible alerts and multilingual preparation guides. Open ReadyHarris ↗

    TOMBALL · KGG68162.400 MHz
    HARRIS COUNTY SAME CODE048201

    Keep the leading zero.

    These settings are for Harris County, not Houston County, Texas. The local government table also lists Galveston’s KHB40 at 162.550 MHz for Harris County. Test reception at home and follow your receiver’s manual. A radio that can tune NOAA broadcasts does not necessarily have automatic alerts or SAME programming. Local government weather-radio settings ↗

    If you live in another county, look up that county’s code instead. Check the NWS weather-radio station and outage information ↗ when choosing a transmitter.

    13 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Save these Houston-area contacts

    Use the service that covers your address. A Houston mailing address does not, by itself, identify your water provider, county, or electricity delivery utility.

    Immediate danger

    Call 911 for an emergency. City service-request lines are not emergency dispatch.

    Official local weather

    Use NWS Houston/Galveston ↗ for warnings, forecasts, and briefings. Read the location and issue time.

    14 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

    What past Houston-area events teach us

    These selected events explain why the guide covers several kinds of emergency. They are not a complete storm record or a forecast of your home’s risk.

    2017

    Harvey: rainfall and access

    Harvey brought historic flooding to the Houston region in August. The NWS report documents rainfall and river flooding across Southeast Texas. Planning takeaway: check the streets connecting your home to your destination, not only your building. NWS August 2017 Southeast Texas storm report ↗

    2021

    February freeze: heat and water

    The regional winter outbreak disrupted power, travel, and water infrastructure. Planning takeaway: keep drinking water, warm clothing, and an alternate heated destination in the same plan. NWS Southeast Texas 2021 event review ↗

    2024

    May 16 derecho: severe wind

    The NWS Houston/Galveston archive documents this damaging wind event. Planning takeaway: keep warning reception and a shelter location ready outside hurricane season. NWS Houston/Galveston event stories ↗

    2024

    Beryl: a July hurricane

    Beryl made its Texas landfall on July 8 and affected Southeast Texas. Planning takeaway: finish core preparations before June and include a cooling destination for the aftermath. NWS Hurricane Beryl event summary ↗

    15 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Shop this guide

    Supplies selected for Houston’s local risks and the plans on this page. Start with what you already own.

    These are individual products, not a complete emergency kit. Compare capacity, fit and household needs before buying. Cards show the current store catalog; confirm options and availability on the product page.

    Browse all emergency supplies →

    Set aside drinking water before a storm or freeze interrupts service. Size your reserve using the household plan above.

    Listen to local weather broadcasts during outages. This model is not verified for automatic alerts or SAME programming.

    Keep small communication devices charged after wind damage. Check device loads against its 155Wh capacity and 150W output.

    An indoor leak alarm can help you notice water near a vulnerable drain or appliance. It does not predict floods or replace evacuation alerts.

    Monitor refrigerator and freezer temperatures during a prolonged outage. Follow official food-safety advice when deciding what to keep.

    Keep some food that needs no stove or preparation water for outages. Check calories, ingredients and household dietary needs.

    SOURCES AND COVERAGE

    Where the Houston information comes from

    Independent Local Prepper guide. Sources reviewed November 2026. City, county, airport, and regional data are labeled separately. No address-level safety assessment or live alert feed is provided.

    Browse all sources and their coverage

    Photo: Downtown Houston skyline from the west by David Daniel Turner, September 2018. CC BY 4.0. Display cropped.

    Browse all city guides →