Residents and visitors should keep their gas tanks at least half full during hurricane season to ensure they have enough fuel to evacuate as soon as possible without worrying about long lines at gas stations and to avoid gas shortages prior to a storm.

For Floridians with electric vehicles, it’s recommended that the battery be maintained between 50% - 80% capacity at all times, depending on the type of vehicle and what the vehicle’s manual recommends. This does not require charging every night but will still ensure that individuals and families have enough charge in their vehicles to evacuate safely and quickly when needed.

Additionally, individuals should always keep an emergency kit in their vehicles in case a storm threatens the area and causes hazardous driving conditions. Vehicle emergency supply kits can include items such as jumper cables, a spare tire, a flashlight with extra batteries, reflective triangles, a first aid kit, electronic device chargers, blankets, and rain ponchos. More information can be found at Ready.gov/Car.

If you are ordered to evacuate, your safest and easiest option may be to stay with friends or family who live outside the evacuation zone or in a stronger house. Evacuations do not have to be hundreds of miles away – they can typically be tens of miles inland to a location that can withstand hurricane-force winds and rain. Check with nearby friends and family now and have a plan in place for what to do if you are ordered to evacuate.

Remember to always monitor local news and listen to alerts from local authorities if a storm threatens your community. The greatest threat to life from a hurricane is storm surge flooding. If you are in an ordered evacuation zone, low-lying flood area or in a mobile home, you should follow all evacuation orders. You can learn more about evacuation zones at FloridaDisaster.org/Know.

Know Your Zone, Know Your Home

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...Moisture Returns to the Panhandle, With Isolated Showers and Thunderstorms Developing Through the Afternoon...Wet Pattern Persist in the Peninsula...A Few Thunderstorms May Be Strong and Capabale of Producing Gusty Winds, Frequent Lightning, Small Hail, and Heavy Rainfall...Localized Flooding Possible for Urban, Poor Drainage, and Low-Lying Areas...Elevated Rip Current Risk Continues Along Panhandle and East Coast...Fiona to Bring Tropical Storm Conditions to the Leeward Islands Later This Afternoon and Evening...Monitoring Two Additional Tropical Waves for Potential Development...