When severe weather is in the forecast, advance preparation can make a big difference. What to do before the threat of severe weather and tornadoes arrive.

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The destroyed Gordon-Hardy building is seen after a tornado passed through an industrial industrial park on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Jeffersontown, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Make plans for a shelter

If you live in a tornado-prone region, establishing a storm shelter can be key to staying safe when severe weather strikes. Whether inside your home – in a garage, closet or basement, or outside, you want to invest in quality construction materials.

If the shelter is outside, you want to ensure it is built on a concrete slab. Regardless if a shelter is inside a structure or outside, you want to make sure there are sturdy walls and no windows. Shattered glass can be catastrophic while you are sheltering from severe weather and tornadoes.

Making sure the door to the shelter opens inward is also very important, as it may become blocked by debris and trap you inside.

Stock essential materials and supplies

Equipping your shelter with nonperishable foods, bottled water, flashlights, batteries, portable chargers and a weather radio can make waiting out severe weather easier. You should also make sure you have proper footwear inside, in the event you have to flee to the shelter quickly or in the middle of the night. You don’t want to have to exit the shelter and walk through debris barefoot.

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Debris floats in a pool near a severely damaged house on May 18, 2025 in the community of Sunshine Hills outside of London, Kentucky. A tornado struck the neighborhood of Sunshine Hills just after midnight on May 17 in London, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

Insurance and financial protection

Before a storm even hits, you should look over your insurance paperwork and make sure you are familiar with what your policy covers.

Eaton said consumers should look at the types of the disasters their area may be prone to, to determine if they have the proper coverage in place. Take an inventory of your home and belongings – including photos – to document in case of loss.

Having valuables, sentimental items and antiques appraised ahead of time is also a good preventative measure, as is securing paperwork, photos and valuables inside a locked safe inside your safe room or shelter.

After the weather hits

After riding out the storm and emerging from your shelter, you should assess the damage. Shattered windows should be boarded up, and it’s recommended to have emergency contacts in place ahead of time and the name of a reputable repair company to help with restoration.

Be prepared to take photos and document any damages.

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