Prepare for summer storms

Ah, summer — shirtsleeves, convertibles, barbecues, and fishing trips. Also, violent thunderstorms, high winds, hail, torrential rains, flooding, wildfires, and tornadoes. The warm weather months may be a great time for outdoor fun, but they can also be a time when crazy weather poses serious risks to you, your home, and your family.

From 2015–2024, the U.S. was hit by 190 separate weather-related disasters, each of which caused a billion dollars or more in damages with combined costs of approximately $1.4 trillion and a death toll of over 6,300. During 2024 alone, there were 27 individual weather and climate disasters that racked up at least $1 billion in losses. Eleven of these events occurred in the Midwest during late spring and summer.

In the face of such potential costs and dangers, what can you do to keep your family and your property safe during this year’s storm season?

Inspect your home

Check your roof. A quick walk around your house and outbuildings may turn up areas that need attention. Look for loose siding and roofing materials — especially shingles and metal panels. These may blow off easily and take other materials along with them, and high winds can also turn them into dangerous projectiles.
Batten down the hatches. Reinforce your windows with storm shutters and put lawn furniture, toys, bicycles, and tools in a basement, shed, or garage before bad weather hits. If you live in a hail-prone area and are planning to replace your roof before storm season, consider using reinforced building materials such as Class 4 impact-resistant shingles.
Make sure you have surge protection. A lightning strike or power outage could fry your expensive electronic devices and burn out your wiring. Guard them with a few inexpensive surge protectors. Find out you what you need to know about this important piece of safety equipment.
Check your basement. Learning how to keep your basement dry is important. Is your foundation holding the water out? And if you have a sump pump is it working properly? If not, it won’t do you much good.

Have a plan

With your home inspection completed, the National Weather Service suggests you make a family preparedness plan before bad weather strikes.

Have a meeting place. Make sure everyone knows where to go in case of disaster and keep a list of contact numbers to call if damage or injury occurs.
Be aware of your structure’s limitations. If you work or live in a temporary or mobile structure, get out if there’s a tornado warning in your area. Even tying down the structure offers little to no protection from tornadoes. Have a pre-identified location where you can take cover, preferably on the lowest floor of a nearby building or storm shelter.
Pay attention. Tune in to your local weather reports on television or the radio for warnings of tornado watches, flash flooding, and other extreme weather forecasts.
Have a backup source of alerts. Consider investing in a radio receiver or scanner that will work even if you lose power and that can pick up the signal broadcast by NOAA Weather Radio (NWR), a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting weather and other hazard information 24/7/365, including warnings, watches, and forecasts. You can also purchase an emergency weather radio. There are options that cost less than $50, provide regional and weather alerts, and come with multiple backup power sources.

Clean up

Remove potential fuel. Dry brush and dead or dying trees make excellent kindling for wildfires, so it’s a good idea to remove anything that could feed an uncontrolled blaze. Dead branches can also cause a lot of damage when they land on your house or your car or take down power lines.
Clean out your gutters. If they’re plugged up, the water will find somewhere else to go — like your basement, between your home’s siding and exterior walls, or through leaky windows.
Be prepared for more cleanup. Storms can pick up debris, dumping it in your yard or even causing additional damage such as broken windows or damaged roofs. During cleanup, you should protect yourself with a dust mask, thick-soled shoes, gloves, and heavy-duty clothing.

Get the right gear

In the event of an emergency, you may need to have supplies on hand sufficient to last you for several days. A disaster supply kit is a collection of basic items such as food, water, and other items that your household may need if there’s a disruption in essential services. Ideally, you’ll have one kit in your home and another you keep in your car’s trunk. At a minimum, your kit(s) should include:

Flashlights and extra batteries
First aid supplies, including necessary medications, bandages, ointment, and disinfectant wipes. If you have small children, include formula and diapers.
Non-perishable food that includes protein-rich foods such as nuts, energy bars, and canned foods. Pack a manual can opener, too.
Water is even more important than food. Pack at least 1 gallon of water per person per day.
Basic tools including pliers, a wrench, and screwdrivers.
Important documents such as your identification, insurance information, and banking information. Not securing these documents could expose you to potential fraud.
A radio, either battery-powered or hand-cranked.
Clothes, including gloves, hats, rain ponchos, and a change of clothes for each member of your family.
Blankets or sleeping bags.
Cell phone chargers, including your standard home and car models, but also portable and solar chargers as well.
Pet supplies for your pet, including food, water, and medicine.
Cat litter for your displaced kitty, and (in a pinch) to help with tire traction.
Jumper cables for your vehicle.
A whistle or flares.
Toilet paper and tissues.

The information included here was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions, or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state, or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, should not be used as the basis for legal advice and should be confirmed with alternative sources.

6/2025