Natural Disaster Preparedness Guides
Preparedness guides for every major natural disaster. Learn what to do before, during, and after tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and wildfires.
Weather Disasters
Tornado
Warning time: 13 minutes average
The United States has more tornadoes than any other country.
Hurricane
Warning time: 3-5 days average
The most destructive hurricanes can cause billions of dollars in damage.
Wildfire
Warning time: Hours to days average
The largest wildfire in California history burned over 1.5 million acres.
Winter Storm
Warning time: 1-3 days average
Snowstorms can paralyze large areas of the country.
Heat Wave
Warning time: Days average
Extreme heat can cause more deaths than any other weather event.
Thunderstorm
Warning time: Minutes average
The U.S. experiences over 10 million thunderstorms annually.
Ice Storm
Warning time: Hours average
An ice storm can cause widespread power outages and travel disruptions.
Blizzard
Warning time: 1-3 days average
A blizzard can drop several inches of snow and cause whiteout conditions.
Geological Disasters
Earthquake
Warning time: No warning time
The largest recorded earthquake in the U.S. was a magnitude 9.2 in Alaska.
Volcano
Warning time: Hours to days average
The largest volcanic eruption in the U.S. was Mount St. Helens in 1980.
Landslide
Warning time: Minutes to hours average
The largest landslide in the U.S. was the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
Hydrological Disasters
Flood
Warning time: 1-2 days average
Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States.
Drought
Warning time: Months to years average
The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was one of the worst droughts in U.S. history.
Tsunami
Warning time: Minutes to hours average
The 2011 Japan tsunami caused a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima plant.
Dam Failure
Warning time: Minutes to hours average
The failure of a dam can cause catastrophic flooding downstream.