How to Prepare for Severe Weather in the UK: A Family Checklist

Storm Bert. Storm Darragh. Storm Eowyn. The UK has seen more named storms in the last three winters than in the previous decade combined. In January 2025, Storm Eowyn produced the highest wind speeds ever recorded in Ireland, knocked out power to 700,000 homes, and closed schools across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Weather emergencies are no longer rare events. They are a pattern.

This guide gives you a practical, no-fuss family checklist for preparing for severe weather in the UK — before the next warning drops. Most of these steps cost nothing. A few require some kit. All of them matter.

Step 1: Know Your Risk Before the Storm Arrives

The Met Office issues weather warnings on a traffic-light system: Yellow, Amber, Red. Most families only pay attention at Red. That is too late.

• Yellow warning: Be aware. Some disruption likely. School runs may be affected. This is when you prepare, not when the storm arrives.
• Amber warning: Be prepared. Significant disruption expected. Roads may close. Power cuts possible. Start your checklist now.
• Red warning: Take action. Danger to life. Stay indoors unless evacuation is ordered. You should already be prepared.

Set up the Met Office weather warnings for your region. They send email and push alerts. Five minutes of setup means you get 24-48 hours' notice rather than zero.

Step 2: Secure Your Property

Before high winds arrive, do a quick walk-around of your property. You are looking for anything that can become a projectile or cause damage.

• Bring garden furniture inside — chairs, parasols, bins, plant pots
• Secure or remove trampolines (they travel significantly in high winds)
• Move vehicles away from large trees if possible
• Check fences and gates — a swinging gate causes damage and becomes a hazard
• Clear gutters before storm season if you haven't already — blocked gutters overflow and cause water ingress
• Close and latch all windows and doors, including sheds and outbuildings

This costs nothing and takes 15 minutes. It regularly prevents hundreds of pounds of avoidable damage.

Step 3: Prepare for Power Loss

Severe storms in the UK commonly cause power outages. High winds take down lines; flooding affects substations. In winter storms, outages can last hours or days.

• Charge everything now. Phones, tablets, power banks, any battery-powered devices. Do this when you see an Amber warning.
• Fill a flask with hot water. Before the storm hits, fill a large thermos. Hot drinks matter when your boiler is off.
• Know your 105 number. In the UK, call 105 (free from any phone) to report a power cut and get restoration updates. This is not your energy supplier — it is the network operator who fixes faults.
• Prepare a light source for each room. Torch or lantern. LED lanterns are best — bright, long-lasting, safe around children.

Central heating requires electricity to run the pump, even on gas boilers. When power goes, so does heating. Have layers and blankets ready before the outage — not after.

Step 4: Stock Your Severe Weather Supplies

You do not need a bunker. You need enough supplies to be comfortable for 72 hours without leaving the house. Here is the practical list:

Water

Floods and burst pipes can affect water supply. Store at least 3 litres per person per day. For a family of four, that is 36 litres for 72 hours. Large water containers or simple 2-litre bottles work fine. Keep them in a cool, dark place and rotate them out every 6 months.

Food

• Tinned goods: beans, soup, fish, vegetables — no cooking required if eaten cold
• Long-life bread, crackers, nut butters, dried fruit, cereal bars
• UHT milk for children
• Any dietary-specific foods for family members with requirements

You are not stocking a disaster shelter. You are extending your normal cupboard by 3 days. Most families already have most of this — a quick audit usually reveals you need less than you think.

Warmth

• Thermal or fleece blankets for each family member
• Warm layers: hats and gloves are stored in the kit, not just the coat cupboard
• Emergency foil blankets as backup — they retain 90% of body heat

Communications

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio — when the internet goes down, BBC Radio 4 (93.5 FM London, or your local BBC station) is your most reliable information source
• A physical list of emergency contacts — do not assume your phone will stay charged
• Backup power bank for phones (10,000mAh minimum for meaningful use)

Step 5: The Family Checklist

Print this and stick it somewhere accessible. When a Yellow warning drops, run through it.

1. ☐ Met Office warnings checked and alerts set for your region
2. ☐ Phones, power banks, and all devices fully charged
3. ☐ Garden secured — furniture, bins, trampolines moved inside or tied down
4. ☐ Thermos flask filled with hot water
5. ☐ LED lantern or torches located, batteries checked
6. ☐ Blankets and warm layers accessible (not buried in a wardrobe)
7. ☐ 3 days of food and water confirmed in cupboard
8. ☐ Battery radio located and tested
9. ☐ Prescription medication supply checked
10. ☐ Elderly or vulnerable neighbours checked in on
11. ☐ 105 number saved in phone (UK power cut reporting)
12. ☐ Local council emergency page bookmarked for evacuation or warming centre info

What to Do If You Need to Evacuate

Flood warnings are the most common reason UK families need to leave home. The Environment Agency's flood map service shows your flood risk. If you are in a flood-risk area, set up flood warnings — they give you advance notice, not just real-time alerts.

If evacuation is ordered:

• Take your emergency kit bag and essential documents (passport, insurance)
• Turn off gas and electricity at the mains if instructed and it is safe to do so
• Lock your property
• Follow official routes — do not attempt to drive through flooded roads. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult over. Two feet can sweep away a car.
• Contact the council for emergency accommodation if needed — do not assume you need to fund a hotel

One Bag, Ready to Go

The households that handle severe weather best all have one thing in common: they prepared before it was an emergency. Not during. Not after.

The checklist above is free. The kit below is optional — but it packages everything in one place so you are not scrambling across cupboards when a Red warning drops at 6pm on a Friday.