What we are watching this week, and what it means for a household. We check the National Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center, FEMA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission three times a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — and publish what is worth acting on. When nothing is urgent, we say so.
This page keeps every edition, newest first. Each line links to the guide that answers it. We do not reproduce news reports: the facts below come from official alerts and advisories, and the links go to the agencies themselves.
October 19, 2026
- Alaska: NWS has winter storm warnings for interior Alaska, including the Yukon Flats, Upper Chena River Valley, Upper Tanana Valley and Noatak Valley. Staying warm without heat →
- Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands: FEMA approved emergency declarations for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on October 17 after Typhoon Champi. Watch vs. warning checklist →
October 18, 2026
- Freeze: NWS issued freeze warnings for parts of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. Staying warm without heat →
- Coastal flooding: NWS has coastal flood warnings for Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, with 2 to 4 feet of inundation possible in low-lying areas through Tuesday, October 20. The 12-inch rule →
- Guam: NWS cancelled the typhoon warning for Guam and Rota on October 18 as Super Typhoon Champi moved west, with a flood watch still in effect overnight. Watch vs. warning checklist →
October 14, 2026
- Flooding: NWS has flood watches in effect across Oklahoma, Kansas, southwest Missouri and west Texas, some running through October 16. The 12-inch rule →
- Freeze: NWS issued freeze warnings for parts of North and South Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Staying warm without heat →
October 12, 2026
- Flooding: NWS has river flood warnings in effect across Florida, southeast Georgia and South Carolina after Isaias, some running through October 16. The 12-inch rule →
- Freeze: NWS issued freeze warnings overnight for parts of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and northern California. Staying warm without heat →
- Isaias: FEMA approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida and Georgia on October 9. Watch vs warning →
October 10, 2026
- Isaias: NHC says Isaias, now post-tropical over southern Alabama with 65 mph winds, still has a storm surge warning from the Santa Rosa/Okaloosa County line to the Suwannee River, FL. Watch vs warning →
- Flooding: NHC expects 4 to 8 inches of rain, locally up to 15, across southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia, with considerable flash flooding likely. The 12-inch rule →
- Earthquake: USGS recorded a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in western Panama on October 9, followed by a magnitude 6.6. Family earthquake plan →
October 5, 2026
- Tropics: NHC gives a low-pressure trough in the southwestern Gulf a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression within seven days; Hurricane Rachel stays over the open eastern Pacific. Watch vs warning →
- Flooding: FEMA declared a major disaster for Ohio on October 2 covering severe storms, tornadoes, flooding and landslides. The 12-inch rule →
- Fire weather: NWS red flag warnings are up for parts of south-central Montana and central and southwestern Wyoming. Wildfire evacuation checklist →
October 2, 2026
- Flooding: NWS river flood warnings across Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, and flood watches for the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio areas. The 12-inch rule →
- Freeze: NWS freeze warnings for northern Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, in effect into Saturday morning. Staying warm without heat →
- Earthquake: USGS recorded a magnitude 4.8 quake 127 km south of False Pass, Alaska, on October 1. Family earthquake plan →
September 30, 2026
- Flooding: NWS flash flood warnings in Texas and New Mexico, flood warnings in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Missouri, and flood watches across central Kansas. The 12-inch rule →
- Tropics: Hurricane Rachel (75 mph) has a tropical storm warning up for southwestern Mexico; Tropical Storm Hanna in the Atlantic has no coastal watches or warnings. Watch vs warning →
- Earthquake: USGS recorded a magnitude 4.8 quake offshore, 97 km west of Petrolia, California, on September 29. Family earthquake plan →
September 28, 2026
- Tropics: FEMA emergency declaration for Hawaii (Tropical Storm Nolo); Tropical Depression Fay in the Atlantic, Hurricane Polo and Tropical Storm Rachel in the Eastern Pacific. Watch vs warning →
- Flooding: flood watches across the Texas Panhandle, a flood warning in New Jersey and a coastal flood warning for the Florida Upper Keys. The 12-inch rule →
- Earthquake: USGS recorded a magnitude 4.6 quake in the Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, on September 27. Family earthquake plan →
September 25, 2026
- Flooding: flash flood warnings in Texas, flood warnings in New Mexico, coastal flood warnings in eastern Massachusetts. The 12-inch rule →
- Tropics: Tropical Storms Fay and Gonzalo active in the Atlantic; Hurricanes Odalys and Polo in the Eastern Pacific. Watch vs warning →
- Fire weather: red flag warnings in western Nevada, including the Sierra Front. Wildfire evacuation checklist →
September 24, 2026
- Flooding: flood warnings and watches in effect across West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and Texas. The 12-inch rule →
- Pacific hurricanes: Odalys and Polo active in the Eastern Pacific; advisories in force for Hawaii. Watch vs warning →
- CPSC recall: Hayward universal pool heaters, carbon monoxide risk. Not a product we recommend, but the CO rule is the same indoors. CO alarms →
September 21, 2026
- Wildfire: Hydra Fire (Texas) at 933 acres, 66 % contained, evacuation order lifted. Wildfire evacuation checklist →
- National Preparedness Month: FEMA campaign running all month; the climatological peak of the hurricane season was September 10. What a 72-hour kit costs →
September 18, 2026
- Federal fire declarations: FEMA fire management assistance granted for the Bunker Fire (Arkansas) and the Hydra Fire (Texas). Wildfire evacuation checklist →
- Flash flooding: warnings in West Virginia after repeated heavy rain.
Where these come from
- National Weather Service — active watches and warnings
- National Hurricane Center — tropical cyclone advisories
- FEMA — federal disaster and fire management declarations
- CPSC — product recalls affecting preparedness gear
- USGS — earthquakes
For the numbers behind our guides, see our emergency preparedness statistics page; to size your own supplies, use the free calculator.