HelpNY

Hurricane Season Starts Now: Find Your NYC Evacuation Zone, Sign Up for Alerts, and Build Your Go Bag
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Find your NYC evacuation zone at maps.nyc.gov/hurricane, sign up for Notify NYC, and stock seven days of supplies.

Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1, and it runs through November 30 — but in New York City, the greatest historical risk runs from August through October. The time to prepare is now, before a storm is on the map. The single most important step costs nothing and takes two minutes: find out whether you live in a hurricane evacuation zone. Here’s how to do it, plus the official City checklist for getting your household ready.

Who This Helps: Every NYC household — especially renters and homeowners in coastal and low-lying neighborhoods, basement-apartment residents, people who depend on medical equipment, and anyone with pets or mobility needs.

Step One: Know Your Zone

NYC has six hurricane evacuation zones, numbered 1 through 6. If a major storm threatens, the City may order certain zones to evacuate based on the storm’s track and projected surge — starting with Zone 1 and adding zones as needed. Roughly three million New Yorkers live within these zones.

Find your zone two ways:

One important note from NYC Emergency Management: do not use FEMA flood-insurance zones to decide whether to evacuate. Those are for insurance and building code. For evacuation, use the City’s hurricane zones. For flood-risk details, visit FloodHelpNY.org.

Step Two: Sign Up for Notify NYC

Notify NYC is the City’s official, free emergency notification system, with customizable alerts in 13 languages covering hurricanes, transit disruptions, and more. Sign up through the Notify NYC portal, follow @NotifyNYC, or call 311. If you live in a basement apartment, NYC Emergency Management recommends joining Notify NYC’s Basement Alert Group to get advance flooding notifications — basement units can flood even outside the official evacuation zones.

Step Three: Gather Supplies and Make a Go Bag

The City’s three-step rule is simple: Have a Plan. Gather Supplies. Stay Informed.

  • Build a Go Bag for every household member — an easy-to-carry backpack with essentials you’d need during an evacuation.
  • Keep enough supplies at home for up to seven days, including bottled water, food that doesn’t need refrigeration, and basic medical supplies. Basic services like electricity, water, and transit can be disrupted for days.
  • Use the official Ready New York guides at nyc.gov/readyny, including the Hurricane Guide and My Pet’s Emergency Plan.
  • Check your insurance. Flood and wind damage are not covered by basic renters or homeowners policies — you need a separate flood policy. All homeowners, renters, and business owners are eligible. See FloodHelpNY.org and FloodSmart.gov.

If a Storm Is Approaching

NYC Emergency Management advises: charge phones and portable chargers, fill the bathtub and containers with water, refill prescriptions early, bring in or anchor loose outdoor objects, move valuables out of basements to upper floors, take out some cash in small bills, and photograph valuables for insurance. If you live in a basement, be prepared to shelter above ground.

If You’re Ordered to Evacuate

  • Leave early and use mass transit if possible — public transit may shut down hours before the storm, and the City advises against car travel during an evacuation.
  • If you can’t stay with friends or family outside the zone, the City opens evacuation centers across the five boroughs. They are pet-friendly, include accessible facilities, and — importantly — you will never be asked about your immigration status at any NYC evacuation center or shelter.
  • If you depend on life-sustaining medical equipment, have limited mobility, or need transportation assistance, call 311 for help, and ask your utility about being listed as a life-sustaining-equipment customer.

How to Take Action This Weekend

  1. Look up your zone at maps.nyc.gov/hurricane or by calling 311.
  2. Sign up for Notify NYC — and the Basement Alert Group if you live below grade.
  3. Pack a Go Bag and stock seven days of supplies.
  4. Make a household plan using the Ready New York Hurricane Guide, including pets and anyone with access needs.
  5. Confirm your insurance covers flood and wind.

The best time to prepare is a calm day like today. Know your zone, sign up for alerts, and pack your bag — HelpNewYork has your back this hurricane season.

You might also like