1. Miami, Florida
It’s no secret Miami sits in the crosshairs of hurricane season, but you’d be surprised how many of its neighborhoods lack adequate storm surge planning. The city has updated some flood maps, but many residents still don’t know their evacuation zones or routes. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, confusion over shelters and transportation left thousands scrambling. The city’s booming development on low-lying land only adds to the risk.
Emergency plans exist—but they’re not always accessible, understandable, or equitable. Many residents don’t speak English as a first language, and multilingual resources are limited. Plus, coordination between city and county agencies often breaks down when it matters most. Miami’s future depends on fixing these gaps before the next Category 4 hits.
2. Houston, Texas
Houston has a long history of flood disasters, most notably Hurricane Harvey in 2017, yet still lacks a fully coordinated emergency response strategy. Harvey exposed huge gaps in evacuation orders, shelter accessibility, and public communication. Many residents had no idea whether to leave or stay put—and mixed messages made things worse. Even now, the region relies too heavily on volunteer networks to fill the void.
Much of the city is paved over, which accelerates runoff and worsens flooding. Emergency alerts don’t always reach vulnerable populations, including undocumented families and people without internet access. There’s also little long-term investment in resilient infrastructure, especially in lower-income areas. Without a better strategy, it’s a matter of when—not if—Houston is caught off guard again.
3. New Orleans, Louisiana
You’d think Katrina would have scared the city straight, but New Orleans still faces serious problems with emergency preparedness. The city’s evacuation plan depends heavily on personal vehicles, which leaves out thousands without access to cars. During Hurricane Ida in 2021, many residents complained of late warnings and unclear shelter options. Meanwhile, the city’s power grid is notoriously fragile.
Even small storms can knock out essential services for days. Communication among city, state, and federal agencies is clunky and often contradictory. Public trust remains low, especially among communities hit hardest by past failures. Until coordination improves, New Orleans remains dangerously exposed.
4. Seattle, Washington
Seattle doesn’t usually make the hurricane list, but the real threat here is a massive winter storm or even a long-overdue earthquake. And the truth is, the city isn’t ready for either. Many emergency routes are unreinforced and vulnerable to landslides or flooding. Plus, residents have little familiarity with evacuation protocols or supply recommendations.
The city has acknowledged gaps in its emergency radio network, which could go down in a blackout. Homeless encampments—of which there are many—are almost entirely unaccounted for in disaster plans. Schools and older buildings aren’t retrofitted for seismic events. If “The Big One” ever comes, Seattle might not just be surprised—it might be overwhelmed.
5. Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix might seem like a safe haven from storms, but flash floods and extreme heat are its quiet threats—and the city’s plans don’t fully reflect that. Monsoon rains can quickly submerge roadways and neighborhoods, and there’s minimal guidance on how to respond. In 2023, parts of the city saw record-breaking temperatures with no coordinated effort to help at-risk residents. Cooling centers were underpublicized and hard to reach for many.
Mobile home communities, where a large portion of low-income residents live, are particularly vulnerable. Heat deaths are rising annually, yet Phoenix’s heat emergency protocols are vague at best. Infrastructure isn’t built for climate extremes, and the electric grid is increasingly strained. Phoenix is learning the hard way that “invisible” emergencies are still deadly.
6. Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is a charming coastal city with one big problem: it floods when someone sneezes. King Tide events already bring water into the streets, and the storm drainage system is old and insufficient. During Hurricane Dorian in 2019, many residents received little notice and weren’t sure whether to evacuate. Meanwhile, historic areas are prioritized for recovery, leaving other neighborhoods behind.
The city has a resilience office, but actual readiness varies block to block. FEMA has criticized Charleston’s lack of updated floodplain data, making risk assessments spotty. Tourists pour in during storm season, creating more congestion and confusion. Charleston is balancing growth with risk—and right now, risk is winning.
7. St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis faces a unique set of weather threats—from flash floods to tornadoes—but lacks a centralized emergency communication strategy. In 2022, parts of the city experienced the most intense rainfall in recorded history, yet alerts were inconsistent and often late. Many residents found themselves trapped in homes or vehicles without knowing where to turn. Local coordination between police, fire, and emergency services remains disjointed.
Stormwater infrastructure is outdated and not designed for today’s rainfall intensity. Mobile alerts are underused, and there’s minimal outreach to elderly or disabled residents. Neighborhoods that flood regularly see little in the way of mitigation efforts. If a major storm hit tomorrow, most people would be left to fend for themselves.
8. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas may be the driest city on the list, but its vulnerability to flash flooding is dangerously underrated. The city’s storm drainage system can’t keep up with sudden deluges, and most residents are unprepared for such events. In 2022, severe storms turned the Strip into a river, and emergency services were caught off guard. Casinos got more attention than neighborhoods that flooded completely.
Few residents know where to go or what to do in a flood, and public messaging is limited. While Clark County has a flood control district, there’s little coordination with housing or transit agencies. Add in high homelessness rates, and you have a recipe for chaos in a real emergency. Las Vegas is betting on dry weather—and that’s a gamble.
9. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago deals with storms in the form of extreme snow, lakefront flooding, and power outages—but its emergency coordination is uneven. The city’s snow removal plan is robust for main roads, but many side streets remain impassable for days after a blizzard. Meanwhile, the infamous 2020 derecho caught the city off guard, knocking out power for thousands. Few residents knew who to call or how to get help.
Outreach to non-English-speaking communities is minimal, leaving many without critical updates. Seniors and public housing residents are often left behind in planning. Chicago’s emergency plans exist, but they’re not regularly updated or stress-tested. A big storm could show just how brittle the system really is.
10. Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is one of the most at-risk cities for sea level rise in the U.S., yet its emergency plans are a confusing patchwork of outdated documents and vague guidelines. Parts of the city now flood during normal high tides, not just storms—something officials call “sunny day flooding.” During Hurricane Matthew in 2016, many residents reported not receiving evacuation notices in time or at all. The city’s dense military and port infrastructure adds another layer of complexity during crises.
There’s been talk of building a $2 billion sea wall, but construction hasn’t started—and storms aren’t waiting. Emergency shelters are limited, especially for residents without cars or those needing special medical assistance. Lower-income neighborhoods consistently bear the brunt of flooding and get the slowest recovery. Norfolk knows the water is rising, but it’s still acting like there’s time to spare.
11. Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is tornado country, but it doesn’t have a cohesive response strategy when multiple systems strike at once. The 2011 tornado outbreak proved just how much the region depends on TV alerts and sirens, many of which don’t reach rural or impoverished areas. With more people cutting cable and relying on phones, alert gaps have widened. Emergency shelters often fill quickly, and accessibility is inconsistent.
There’s little awareness about how to prepare or respond beyond “go to the basement,” and many homes don’t even have one. The city hasn’t updated its community outreach programs in years. Weather events are becoming more frequent, but planning hasn’t caught up. Birmingham needs a modern, inclusive plan before the next storm rolls through.
12. Sacramento, California
It may seem counterintuitive, but Sacramento is one of the most flood-prone cities in America. Much of the city sits below river level and is protected by aging levees—many of which are overdue for upgrades. A major atmospheric river could overtop these defenses and devastate entire neighborhoods. Yet public awareness of this threat is astonishingly low.
Evacuation maps are outdated and rarely publicized. Local agencies say they’re “prepared,” but there’s little visibility into what that actually means. The city has grown rapidly, and many new residents have never experienced a real emergency. Sacramento might not know it’s unprepared until it’s too late.
13. Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is no stranger to hurricanes, but its recovery-focused approach means little attention is paid to preparedness. During Hurricane Florence in 2018, the city became an island—cut off from food, fuel, and medical supplies. That storm exposed severe gaps in logistics planning and emergency supply chains. Many residents had no idea they’d be isolated for days.
The city still struggles to maintain clear evacuation routes, especially from newer suburban areas. Coordination between local government and FEMA has been rocky at best. There are also few resources available in Spanish or for people with disabilities. Wilmington is beautiful, but dangerously behind on storm readiness.
This post 13 U.S. Cities One Storm Away From Discovering They Have No Emergency Plan was first published on American Charm.
