Some of the most repeated hurricane “advice” is wrong — and a few myths are dangerous enough to get people hurt. Here are the big ones, and what's actually true.
Myth: Tape an X on your windows so they won't shatter
Reality: Tape does nothing to stop a window from breaking, and it can make things worse — turning a shattered pane into large, dangerous shards instead of small pieces. For real protection use shutters or plywood; otherwise don't waste time, or your safety, on tape.
Myth: Crack your windows to equalize the pressure
Reality: A dangerous old tale. Opening windows does not equalize the pressure or protect your house — it just lets the storm inside. The wind pouring in adds to the forces already tearing at your roof and walls, while the rain soaks and ruins everything indoors. Keep windows closed and shuttered.
Myth: I'm not on the coast, so I'm safe
Reality: Inland is not the same as safe. The deadliest hazard in recent years — freshwater flooding from rain — strikes hardest inland, and tropical systems spawn tornadoes far from the center. Hurricane Helene (2024) is the grim proof: it came ashore in Florida's Big Bend, yet killed far more people hundreds of miles inland — in the southern Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina and Tennessee — than near the coast where it landed. More than 100 died in North Carolina alone, nowhere near a beach. In recent years, inland freshwater flooding has been the leading cause of U.S. hurricane deaths — most of them well inland, far from any beach.
Myth: It's “just” a Category 1, so it's no big deal
Reality: The Saffir-Simpson category rates wind speed only — it says nothing about how much water a storm will push ashore. Surge potential depends on the storm's size and intensity, the shape and depth of the coastline, and the angle and speed at which it comes in, so a “low” category can still drown a community. And water, not wind, is the killer: surge and inland flooding cause the great majority of hurricane deaths. The old rule holds — run from the water, hide from the wind. Never let the number set your guard.
Myth: If I'm outside the cone, I'm in the clear
Reality: The cone shows only the probable path of the storm's center. Wind, surge, rain, and tornadoes routinely reach far outside it. Read the hazard forecasts for your location, not the cone's edge.
Myth: I'll ride it out and just leave later if it gets bad
Reality: Once tropical-storm-force winds arrive — well before the eye — it's too late to leave safely, and roads may already be flooded or gridlocked. If officials say evacuate, the time to go is early.
Bottom line
Skip the tape, keep the windows shut, and don't trust the category or the cone to tell you your risk — and never assume inland means safe. When in doubt, follow your local emergency officials, not the folklore.