Prepping in Atlanta
Atlanta's emergencies are usually weather that the region isn't built for: a little ice that freezes the highways, or tropical rain that floods creeks in hours.
- Severe storms
- Ice and snow
- Flash flooding
Sign up today
The official Atlanta alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- FALCON (Fulton County)Sign up for FALCON
Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management's community alerts. If you live in the DeKalb County part of the city, sign up for DeKalb's alerts too.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Atlanta
- Ice and snow gridlock
- In January 2014, about two inches of snow froze the highways and stranded thousands of drivers overnight.
- Tornadoes
- In March 2008, a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta.
- Tropical rain and flooding
- Helene's remnants in September 2024 dropped record rain on the city and flooded neighborhoods along Peachtree Creek.
- Long outages
- Storms bring down trees across a heavily wooded metro and knock out power for days.
- Summer heat
- Heat and humidity make outages dangerous, especially for older adults.
What that means for your plan
Your car is part of the plan. Keep a car kit with water, snacks, a blanket, a phone charger and a flashlight, and don't head out when ice is forecast. Most 2014 stories started with people trying to get home.
Atlanta's tree canopy means storms often mean long outages. Plan for several days without power: no-cook food, water and a power station for phones, fans and a CPAP.
Know whether you live near a creek that floods, and never drive through water on a road. A foot of moving water can float a car.
Do these first, in this order
- Car kit
For ice-day gridlock and storm detours.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - FALCON alerts and a NOAA radio
Tornado warnings at night need something that wakes you.
Radios and communication guide - Power station
Covers multi-day outages from storm damage.
Power stations and generators guide - Two weeks of water
Boil-water notices follow main breaks and floods.
Water storage and filters guide - Warmth without power
Ice storms hit in the cold.
Lighting and staying warm guide - First-aid kit
Tree cleanup and storm injuries.
First aid and medical guide
Questions
How do I get emergency alerts in Atlanta?
Sign up for FALCON, Atlanta-Fulton County's community alert system. If you live in the DeKalb County part of the city, sign up for DeKalb County's alerts too. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically.
Where should I shelter during a tornado in Atlanta?
Go to the lowest floor, in an interior room without windows, and get under something sturdy. In a high-rise, move to an interior hallway or stairwell on a lower floor.
How ready is your Atlanta home?
The quiz weights every item for suburbs risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.