The 2026 season, as of August 2026
NOAA's August 6 mid-season update holds its call for a below-normal Atlantic season — now 7–13 named storms, 2–6 hurricanes — and Colorado State's August 5 final update stays at 9 named storms. Two named storms have formed so far (Arthur and Bertha — Bertha put tropical-storm warnings on Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in July before turning toward Louisiana), and neither became a hurricane. Good news, but don't confuse it with safety: the season peaks September 10, with most activity mid-August through mid-October — and as CSU puts it, it only takes one landfall to make it an active season for you.
Pensacola knows this better than anywhere: Hurricane Ivan (2004) and Hurricane Sally (2020) both struck this area on the same calendar date — September 16 — sixteen years apart. Ivan destroyed or claimed more than 6,000 homes in Escambia County; Sally dropped over two feet of rain on Pensacola as a Category 2. The 20 checks below are how you make sure your roof isn't the easy target when the next one comes.
Sources: NOAA mid-season Atlantic hurricane outlook update (Aug 6, 2026); Colorado State University seasonal forecast update (Aug 5, 2026); NHC Tropical Cyclone Reports AL092004 (Ivan) and AL192020 (Sally); NWS Mobile.
72 Hours Before Landfall
The planning phase. Do these once — not every storm.
1. Photograph your roof from all four sides
Use your phone. Shoot wide angles from the yard, plus close-ups of any questionable shingles, ridge caps, and flashing. These photos are gold for an insurance claim later.
2. Photograph your attic decking
Go in the attic with a flashlight. Photograph the underside of the decking — any existing water stains, nail pops, or daylight you can see. Pre-storm attic photos prove later damage is new.
3. Pull a copy of your insurance policy
Find your wind/hurricane deductible (usually 2–5% of dwelling coverage in Florida). Know this number before the storm, not after.
4. Save your roofer's number on your phone
Save ours: (850) 220-3965. After a major storm, phone lines get flooded with out-of-state "storm chasers." Having a licensed local roofer on speed-dial matters.
5. Check your ladder, tarp, and tools
You'll want a 6-mil blue tarp (10×20 minimum), 1×2 furring strips, galvanized roofing nails, and a hammer. Home Depot sells out the day before the storm — buy now.
24 Hours Before Landfall
The prep phase. Every storm, every time.
6. Clear your gutters and downspouts
Leaf clogs cause water to back up under the shingles during driving rain. A 15-minute clean-out prevents a $3,000 interior-water claim.
7. Remove or anchor yard projectiles
Patio furniture, umbrellas, potted plants, grills, trash cans, trampolines, kids' bikes. Anything not bolted down can become a 100-mph projectile. Put it in the garage.
8. Trim tree limbs within 10 feet of the roof
You can't do a full trim in 24 hours — but lop off any obvious dead or overhanging branches. Tree-fall damage is the #1 cause of roof claims we see in Crestview and Milton.
9. Close and reinforce storm shutters
If you have accordion or panel shutters, install them now. Check the bolts and tracks — sand can jam them if it's been a while.
10. Tarp any known weak spots
If you already have a leak or missing shingles, tarp it. A properly installed tarp (nailed to furring strips, not directly to the roof) buys you 30–60 days of protection. Not comfortable on a ladder with a storm inbound? We do same-day professional tarping.
11. Fill the bathtub
Hurricanes often knock out power and municipal water for days. A filled tub is 50 gallons of flush water — a lifesaver for the first 48 hours post-storm.
During the Storm
Stay safe. Document only when it's safe.
12. Stay inside. Do not try to repair the roof mid-storm.
We've seen too many ER visits from homeowners trying to nail down a flapping shingle in 70-mph gusts. Wait it out.
13. If you see a ceiling leak, move electronics and furniture
Place a bucket, then a plastic sheet, then the bucket on top of the sheet. The sheet catches splashes. Puncture the ceiling bulge with a small hole to release pressure — better one clean hole than a collapsing drywall sheet.
14. Take time-stamped video if safe
One 30-second walk-through of affected rooms during or immediately after peak winds is worth 100 photos for your claim.
First 48 Hours After the Storm
The claim phase. Speed matters here.
15. Photograph everything before you touch anything
Every angle of the exterior, every room with water damage, every dented vent and displaced shingle. Your adjuster will want these exact shots.
16. Call your insurance company
File the claim as soon as you reasonably can — Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132) bars claims reported more than 1 year after the date of loss, and the clock runs from the storm, not from when you discover the damage. Get your claim number in writing and ask for the adjuster's direct contact. Full details in our Florida roof insurance guide.
17. Call a licensed local roofer for an inspection
Not a door-to-door "storm chaser" — a roofer with a Florida license you can verify. Wind damage often doesn't leak until months later, so get an inspection even if the roof looks fine from the ground (here's how to tell if the hurricane damaged your roof). We offer free post-storm inspections across the Panhandle: (850) 220-3965.
18. Do NOT sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form
Florida banned AOBs on property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023 — any assignment is void and unenforceable, so a contractor pushing one is either behind the law or counting on you not knowing it. Legitimate roofers work on a regular contract while you keep control of your claim.
19. Get at least two licensed, local estimates
Compare line by line. Anyone who won't itemize their bid is hiding something. Anyone offering to "waive your deductible" is committing insurance fraud — walk away. The full storm-chaser playbook is in roofing scams after a hurricane, and the whole post-storm sequence is the hurricane recovery checklist.
20. Tarp and dry out — don't wait for the adjuster
Most Florida policies cover temporary repairs (tarps, board-ups) as part of the claim — in fact they expect you to prevent further damage. Keep receipts. Drying out in 48 hours prevents mold, which is often NOT covered. We provide same-day emergency tarping, photo-documented for your claim.
Need a pre-storm roof inspection?
We offer free storm-readiness inspections across the Florida Panhandle. Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola, Pace, Milton, and everywhere in between.
Complete Roofing LLC · FL Lic. CCC1337480 · (850) 220-3965 · roofing-it.com