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Before a rainy weekend, check local alerts, clear accessible drainage paths, direct roof runoff away from the foundation, and protect documents and essentials. These steps can reduce avoidable problems, but they cannot prevent every flood: flooding can happen anywhere it rains, and flash floods may develop quickly.
Start with alerts, flood risk, and an evacuation plan
Check the forecast and sign up for local emergency alerts before the rain begins. Learn whether your home is in a flood-prone area, but do not treat a map as a guarantee of safety. Ready.gov’s guidance is direct: “Where it can rain it can flood.” Ready.gov’s flood guidance recommends knowing your risk and following local officials’ instructions.
Decide where household members would go if authorities order an evacuation, and how you will reconnect if separated. Keep phones charged and make sure everyone knows how to receive alerts. Prepare essential supplies for several days, including needed medications, chargers, and pet food or other pet necessities.
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Before the storm, remove ordinary debris from gutters and accessible drains. FEMA’s January 2025 flood information sheet includes the instruction “Declutter drains and gutters.” Check from the ground for a visibly blocked downspout outlet or a loose connection.
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Do not climb onto a wet or unstable roof, or attempt hazardous work just to finish a checklist. If a gutter or drain cannot be reached safely, leave it to someone equipped to do the work. Keep an eye out for water already pooling near the home, but do not enter floodwater to investigate.
Direct roof runoff away from the house
Roof runoff should discharge onto a suitable lawn or garden area away from the foundation. A downspout extension can redirect water, but its outlet should not create erosion, send water toward a neighbor’s property, or simply move the problem to another vulnerable spot. Penn State Extension’s stormwater guidance for homeowners discusses managing runoff on a property; the right placement depends on the site.
Use a rain barrel for temporary storage
A rain barrel can capture some roof runoff, but it is not a substitute for a safe overflow route. Direct the overflow hose away from the building, and maintain the barrel’s screen and other system parts. See Penn State Extension’s rain barrel information and guide for setup and care.
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Treat a rain garden as a planned project
A rain garden is a designed landscape feature, not a quick fix to install immediately before a storm. Penn State Extension advises placing one at least 10 feet from a building foundation, assessing soil drainage, avoiding unsuitable locations such as areas near septic systems, and planning a safe overflow route. Those conditions require attention to the property’s soil, slope, and layout. See Penn State Extension’s rain garden best practices before planning one.
For an existing rain garden, clear debris from its inlet, outlet, and overflow path. Penn State Extension says a rain garden should drain in approximately 12–24 hours; ponding longer than 48 hours may indicate a drainage problem. Actual drainage varies by site, so persistent ponding is a reason to investigate rather than assume every garden follows the same timetable.
Protect belongings, documents, and basement areas
Move valuables and important papers above likely water levels or into protected storage. Keep paper documents in a waterproof container and make password-protected digital copies. If your home has a basement or a known water-intrusion problem, a sump pump with battery backup is one possible property-protection measure. It addresses basement water, not surface runoff, and does not guarantee flood protection. FEMA and Ready.gov also identify check valves as a measure to consider for some properties; suitability depends on the home’s plumbing and configuration.
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Make simple yard preparations without creating new runoff problems
Notice where water naturally flows and whether bare soil is already eroding. Avoid rushed grading or major landscaping changes: stormwater management depends on soil, slope, site conditions, and local rules. For an established lawn, avoid applying fertilizer just before heavy rain; runoff can carry excess fertilizer into waterways. Penn State Extension explains the connection in its guidance on reducing water pollution in the home landscape.
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Follow local emergency alerts and instructions, and evacuate when officials order you to. Never walk, swim, or drive through floodwater. Ready.gov warns that six inches of moving water can knock a person down and one foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away; these are agency safety statements, not guarantees that shallower water is safe. As Ready.gov puts it: “Turn Around. Don’t Drown!”
If you are considering flood insurance, check with your insurer about your policy’s terms and start date. Ready.gov says a policy typically takes up to 30 days to take effect, so do not assume a policy purchased just before a storm will cover the coming event.
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