New Homeowner’s Handbook Helps Massachusetts Residents Prepare for Coastal Hazards

[Woods Hole – Sept. 24, 2026] – A storm can change everything in a matter of hours. Knowing your home’s risks—and what you can do about them before the weather turns—can make a meaningful difference. To help Massachusetts homeowners prepare for coastal storms, flooding, and high winds, WHOI Sea Grant, in collaboration with Barnstable County’s Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, has released the newly updated Massachusetts Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Coastal Hazards.

Your home is one of your biggest investments—and a place where your family and belongings should feel safe. But coastal storms, flooding, high winds, and other natural hazards can put that safety at risk. With rising sea levels and increasingly intense storms, preparing ahead of time is more important than ever.

The handbook offers practical, critical information to help residents prepare for hurricanes, nor’easters, and floods. It covers steps homeowners can take before a storm to reduce damage and protect the people and pets who depend on them.

“There are many ways to prepare, from understanding your home’s flood risk and making preventative improvements to knowing how to evacuate with pets and making sure your insurance coverage meets your needs,” said Shannon Hulst, floodplain specialist with WHOI Sea Grant and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. “Taking these steps before a storm can reduce risks to people and property while strengthening the resilience of coastal communities.”

The fourth edition of the Homeowner’s Handbook includes current information, helpful links, graphics, and references to recent storms. It also includes a new section on post-storm response and recovery, with guidance on what to expect when returning to a storm-damaged home, how to seek assistance from federal agencies, and what to know about rebuilding after a storm.

A PDF of the Massachusetts Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Coastal Hazards is available for download from the WHOI Sea Grant website (seagrant.whoi.edu). Free print copies will also be available at town halls and public libraries across Cape Cod and the Islands and events across the Commonwealth later this year.

Contact: WHOI Sea Grant communications team at seagrant@whoi.edu.