South Florida hurricane prep checklist:
before, during, and after

Last updated: July 27, 2026 · Hurricane season: June through November

Hurricane season in South Florida runs June through November, and the most important prep work happens before the first named system. Since 1989, the Worldwide Property Services team has worked on properties across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach before and after dozens of storms. What we have learned: most preventable damage does not come from wind but from four controllable sources, clogged gutters, unprepared lawns, unsealed pest entry points, and unblocked wildlife access. This checklist covers each of those areas, organized by what you can do right now, what belongs in the week before a storm, and what is needed after the event. At the end you will find our post-storm response times and how to request an inspection. To speak with our team today call (888) 600-4915.

How do I prepare my house for hurricane season in South Florida?

Effective hurricane prep in South Florida is not a one-day event. It is a series of maintenance tasks spread across the spring and summer months. The seasonal work that many homeowners postpone, gutter cleaning, pest treatment, lawn trimming, takes on critical importance between June and November.

The first step is understanding what the most common sources of preventable property damage are in South Florida homes after hurricanes and tropical storms:

The good news: all three of the most common damage categories are largely preventable with scheduled maintenance before the season arrives. Here is what you can arrange right now, regardless of whether there is a storm in the forecast:

• Clean gutters and downspouts (see section 3 below)
• Treat pest entry points around pipes, ducts, and foundation
• Trim palm fronds to within 2 feet of the trunk
• Remove or anchor all patio furniture and yard accessories
• Inspect roof, soffit, and eaves for existing gaps
• Check generator, fuel supply, and electrical panel
• Review irrigation systems and disable timers

What should I do the week before a hurricane arrives?

When a storm is in the forecast with 5 to 7 days of lead time, the last-minute prep window begins. Most contractor tasks, tree trimming, gutter service, pest entry sealing, are no longer schedulable. That is precisely why in-season prep work, not the week before the storm, is the correct strategy.

What you can and should do in the week before the storm:

• Store all patio items: planters, furniture, decor, tools
• Anchor the shed, pergola, or any non-permanent yard structure
• Fill the car gas tank and generator fuel
• Disconnect power from irrigation and pool systems
• Cover yard or pool drainage outlets to prevent backflow contamination
• Move vehicles out of garage if the garage may flood
• Gather homeowner insurance documents and photograph all property

State resource: Florida Division of Emergency Management: hurricane preparedness (floridadisaster.org)

Why are clean gutters so critical before a hurricane in South Florida?

South Florida receives 60 to 70 inches of rain per year, with much of it concentrated during the June to November hurricane season. During a tropical storm, rainfall rates of 5 to 10 inches per hour are common. A gutter clogged with leaves, roof granules, and organic debris cannot handle that volume.

What happens when gutters are clogged during a storm:

• Water backs up and flows over the fascia and soffit, causing rot and mold
• Pressure forces water under roof shingles
• Overflows near the foundation cause water intrusion into the slab or crawl space
• Backed-up water soaks insulation, leading to hidden mold
• Blocked downspouts create pooling that attracts mosquitoes after the storm

Clean gutters in May, before hurricane season begins. If there are trees near your roof, clean again after any significant storm. For most South Florida homes, two cleanings per year, one in spring and one in fall, are the minimum.

Read our full guide: Gutter Cleaning Before Hurricane Season in Florida

How do I seal pest entry points before hurricane season?

Pests do not appear from nowhere after a hurricane. They enter through gaps that have existed for months, gaps that storm wind can widen. Pre-season pest prep has two components: treatment (eliminating active colonies) and exclusion (sealing entry points).

The most common entry points in South Florida homes are:

• Space around plumbing pipes where they enter through walls or slab
• Dryer vents without screens or with damaged screens
• Aged or damaged window and door seals
• Gaps around electrical conduit at the service entrance box
• Space between roof tiles and soffit at the eaves
• Range hood and kitchen exhaust vents without screens
• Garage slab cracks and garage door threshold gaps

A professional pest control inspector can identify these entry points during an exclusion inspection and fill them with appropriate materials: expanding sealant, steel wool (which rodents cannot chew through), metal mesh screens, and weatherproof silicone plugs.

Our pest control and exclusion services

What should I do with my lawn before a hurricane in South Florida?

Landscaping is one of the biggest sources of projectile damage in South Florida during storms. Untrimmed palm fronds, dead branches, and unsecured yard objects become high-velocity projectiles in winds of 75 mph or more.

Palm trees

Trim all dead or hanging fronds to within no more than 2 feet of the trunk. Do not over-trim: green fronds provide flexibility for the palm in wind. Never trim fronds pointing upward, only those hanging at 45 degrees or more downward.

Shrubs and trees generally

Remove all dead branches and any branch that is within 10 feet of the home structure. Dense-canopy trees like ficus and avocado catch wind and are more likely to fall than open-canopy trees. If you have a dense-canopy tree over 25 feet near your home, consult a certified arborist before the season.

Grass

Cut grass to no more than 6 inches before a storm. Tall grass accumulates standing water and becomes a mosquito breeding ground in the 48 to 72 hours after the storm. After the storm, wait for the soil to dry before mowing again to avoid damaging roots.

Our South Florida lawn care services

What wildlife problems happen after hurricanes in South Florida?

Storms displace wildlife from their natural territories. After a hurricane, wildlife intrusion pressure in South Florida increases dramatically, with animals seeking shelter in the only dry structures in their area.

The most common post-storm wildlife intrusions in South Florida are:

• Raccoons: Enter through wind-damaged soffits or attic vents. Can establish within 24 hours and are notoriously difficult to remove once they have young.
• Roof rats: Rats displaced by flooding seek elevated structures. A single storm can double the neighborhood rat pressure onto nearby building attics.
• Bats: New openings in the eaves and roofline are colonized quickly by bats. Bats are protected under Florida law outside permitted exclusion periods.
• Iguanas: Cold-stunned iguanas from winter storms and flood-displaced iguanas seek entry through unscreened vents and outlets.

Exclusion is the most effective strategy: inspect the building exterior before hurricane season and close all entry points larger than a quarter inch. After a storm, inspect again within 48 to 72 hours when skies clear, to catch new wind-created gaps before wildlife finds them.

Our wildlife and rodent control services

What should I do in the 72 hours after a hurricane in South Florida?

The 72 hours after a storm are the critical window for preventing secondary damage from exceeding primary wind damage. Secondary water, pest, and wildlife damage often exceeds direct wind damage in buildings that survived the storm itself.

• First 24 hours

  • Document all damage with photos before cleaning
  • Verify no downed electrical lines or natural gas near entry before entering
  • Clear blocked downspouts and yard drainage outlets to prevent pooling
  • Check water levels around the foundation

• 24 to 48 hours

  • Inspect roof, eaves, and soffit for new gaps or damage
  • Temporarily close wildlife gaps with hardware cloth or wood
  • Clear yard debris that can harbor pests
  • Check for displaced fire ant colonies on elevated lawn areas

• 48 to 72 hours

  • Schedule a professional pest inspection to detect new post-storm pressure
  • Schedule gutter cleaning if nearby trees filled gutters during the storm
  • Assess lawn to determine if topdressing or reseeding is needed
  • Contact your insurance company with your damage documentation