Massachusetts warns residents on hurricane readiness
- Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency on Aug. 5 urged residents to review hurricane plans, saying tropical storms and hurricanes can still cause major damage. - MEMA’s guidance told residents to check supplies, verify insurance, document property, and learn evacuation zones before peak Atlantic hurricane activity. - Residents can find evacuation-zone maps, preparedness flyers and hurricane-season resources on Mass.gov through MEMA’s hurricane preparedness pages.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency told residents on Aug. 5 to review emergency plans, supplies and evacuation information as the state heads deeper into the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The agency said hurricanes and tropical storms can still bring destructive wind, rain and coastal flooding to Massachusetts, even though direct landfalls are relatively rare. MEMA’s public guidance directed households to prepare now by checking insurance coverage, documenting belongings and knowing whether they live in an evacuation zone. ### What exactly did Massachusetts tell residents to do? MEMA’s hurricane preparedness materials say residents should “prepare themselves, their families, and their homes” before a storm is approaching. The state’s checklist tells people to build or refresh emergency supplies, make a household communication plan, safeguard important documents and review evacuation options in advance. Mass.gov’s hurricane resources also direct residents to “Know your zone,” referring to the state’s evacuation-zone system for areas that may flood during a hurricane. (govtech.com) The state says people should check whether their home or workplace is in a hurricane evacuation zone and be ready to leave if officials order an evacuation. ### Why is the warning coming now? June 1 marked the start of Atlantic hurricane season, and MEMA said in a June 1 notice that residents, visitors and businesses should prepare early rather than wait for a storm threat. (mass.gov) MEMA Director Dawn Brantley said then that tropical systems can cause “extreme damage” from heavy rain or high winds even when they are not classified as hurricanes. Governor Maura Healey also proclaimed July 5 through July 11 as Hurricane Preparedness Week in Massachusetts, according to a state notice published July 5. That campaign was intended to push preparedness messaging before the busiest part of the season. ### What does the state say about hurricane risk in Massachusetts? GovTech’s Aug. 5 report on the state guidance said Massachusetts warned hurricanes are becoming more common in New England and urged residents to review emergency plans and resources. (mass.gov) The report said the last major hurricane to affect the commonwealth was Hurricane Bob in August 1991. Massachusetts’ own preparedness pages do not frame the risk only around hurricanes. (mass.gov) The state says tropical storms, with winds above 39 mph, and hurricanes, with winds above 74 mph, can both produce dangerous storm surge and significant damage. ### Where can residents check evacuation zones and official updates? Mass.gov provides a hurricane evacuation zone page that says those zones are separate from FEMA flood insurance risk maps. (govtech.com) The state directs residents to use the evacuation-zone information specifically for hurricane planning and to review inundation maps and related safety resources. MEMA also maintains a hurricane preparedness resource page with downloadable flyers and toolkits in multiple languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese and Chinese. (govtech.com) Those materials are intended for residents, local officials and community groups sharing preparedness information. ### What should residents watch next? The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30, MEMA says in its public preparedness guidance. (mass.gov) Massachusetts residents can continue to monitor updated storm information, evacuation guidance and preparedness materials on MEMA’s hurricane-season pages on Mass.gov. (mass.gov 1) (mass.gov 2)
