Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThe 2025 hurricane season is underway, and while so far things have been surprisingly quiet, this could — and probably will — change. And if you happen to find yourself in the path or in surrounding areas of an, then it’s time to take things seriously and get your tech ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store.
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How to prep your tech for bad weatherWhat you need: I detail what you’ll need in the steps below, but it’s basically all the essentials. That includes power banks and cables, flashlights or lanterns, waterproof bags, spare batteries, a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher, warm hats and gloves, emergency food and snacks, power station or jump starter, multitool, emergency radio or SOS beacon, and a waterproof drive. Also, bookmark reliable forecast sites or install a weather app, and practice with every bit of gear now so you’re not learning under pressure.
Home kitThe essentials
Power bank (and cables)LED flashlight or LED lanternWaterproof bags for your devices and belongingFire extinguisherSpare batteries (these have a long 10-year shelf life) for anything that takes batteriesWarm hats and glovesEmergency food (remember to have food for your furry companions, too)Also: The 5 brightest flashlights
Things that are nice to have
Power stationGas generator (generators pose a fire and fume risk, but these modern ones feature a carbon monoxide auto cutoff)Emergency radioMultitoolUSB heated blanket — these things are super warm, don’t need mains power, and there’s no risk of a fire!Entertainment that doesn’t require power or internet (such as board games)Also: The 5 best portable power stations
Car kitThe essentials
Jump starter with power bank functionality (and cables)LED road flare and flashlightFirst aid kitFire extinguisherEmergency mylar blanketsWarm hats and glovesSnacksThings that are nice to have
Multitool (I tend to keep a cheaper tool in the car, not only because it gets a lot less use but also so that it’s less tempting to steal)Tire inflatorReady to eat meals (no water needed, and can be eated cold)SOS satellite beaconSpare set of warm clothesSome entertainment (especially if you might have kids in the car, a book or toy goes a long way when waiting for a tow truck)Also: The best portable jump starters
Do this as soon as you can. This is especially important if you live somewhere where the power is likely to go out. Also, remember to charge up any portable battery packs and rechargeable batteries you have (you might not need them, but they may help a neighbor out of a bind).
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Keep all your devices on charge for as long as possible in case the power goes out. Remember that most power banks can be charged while they charge other gadgets, which could simplify your charging setup.If the power starts browning out, it might be a good idea to move your chargers to a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) or power station if you have one to prevent devices from damage.If you have a gas-powered generator, become familiar with it in advance of needing it, especially if it’s possibly still filled with older, stale gas (and common sense dictates that this isn’t the sort of thing you run indoors). It’s also a good idea to test gas generators every six months. The internet might go down, along with your phone and power, but the radio will likely still work.
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Radios like this one are still the most reliable way to stay in touch in an emergency.
Also: The top satellite phones and gadgets for reliable off-grid communication
If you have one handy make sure that the batteries are fresh and that you know how to use it. Do a quick Google search in advance for local radio stations you can tune into, and write these on a piece of paper or sticker.
If you don’t have a custom case, a Ziploc bag is better than nothing. And if you have one of those little bags of silica gel that comes with all sorts of things, throw one of those into the bag with your device as it’ll help absorb any moisture that makes its way into the bag.
For bigger items like clothes, I like the roll-top dry bags. They’re roomy, robust, and keep the water out of stuff.
Fire, flood, theft. These can take your device, but if you have a backup, your data is not lost.
An off-site or cloud backup is preferable (even if “off-site” means keeping a drive at a friend or family member’s house).
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If all you have is an external hard drive or USB key, then that will have to do — pop it into a waterproof bag to give it a fighting chance! Alternatively, you can invest in a waterproof and fireproof storage drive.
Also: The best external hard drives
My solution is to back up to the cloud using Backblaze, and also have local backups in a waterproof and fireproof RAID external unit for easy access.
I’ve seen people superglue their hand to their face, smash themselves in the teeth with a hammer while trying to put up storm shutters, struggle for over an hour trying to start a gasoline generator that didn’t have any gas in it, turn an expensive tent into a fireball attempting to refill a gasoline stove that was already lit, slice their hand open with a screwdriver, and settle down to read the instructions for some essential bit of kit as a massive storm approaches.
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Add stress and fear into the mix, and you have the potential for a lot of chaos.
Also: Are portable batteries viable for home power backups? Here’s my verdict after testing one
Not sure how your portable battery pack, generator, or new weather app works? The time to be figuring this out is now, not when the winds are strengthening, the rain is starting, and the lights have gone out.
Oh, and now is a good time to download and print out any manuals you might need.
Also, the more you practice and use your gear, the more likely you are to remember you have it. I’ve known people forget that they have some useful bit of kit when an emergency hits.
This is why practice and drills are important!
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