Tropical Storm Arlene became the first named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season when it formed over the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, June 2, but the storm weakened to a tropical depression the next day. While this storm was quick to fizzle out, the NOAA predicts the United States will see 12-17 named storms, 5-9 hurricanes and 1-4 major hurricanes before the season ends on November 30. Over 33 million single- and multi-family residences are at moderate or greater risk of damage from hurricane-force winds, and 7.8 million of these homes have coastal exposure that leaves them vulnerable to storm surge, according to a recent report from CoreLogic. It is imperative those who could potentially be impacted if a storm were to hit the U.S. make emergency plans ahead of time. The CDC recommends those at risk of tropical storm or hurricane damage: |

• Write down emergency numbers and place them in prominent places in your home, like on the refrigerator and near all phones. You should also program these numbers into your cell phone.
• Prepare an emergency supply kit with enough essential supplies, like food, water and medical necessities, to last you and your family at least 72 hours.
• Find out where your nearest shelter is and all of the possible routes to get there from your home.
• If you have pets, locate pet-friendly shelters and hotels, or an out-of-town friend or relative with whom you can stay in case of an evacuation. Local animal shelters may be good sources of advice for what to do if you need to evacuate with a pet, as well.

In addition to these preparations, it is also a good time to review your insurance policies with your agent to ensure you have the proper coverage in place if you suffer a hurricane-related loss. In the slideshow above, we'll look at the ten most damaging hurricanes to hit the U.S. based on the 2023 Consumer Price Index adjusted cost, according to the NOAA.

Related:

• Report: Hurricane risk is moving inland
• Disaster mitigation through biodiversity
• Now is the time for policyholders to prepare for hurricane season