Johnnie T. Melia shares hurricane preparedness tips for Houston

Johnnie T. Melia Moving & Storage is urging Houston households and businesses to prepare before the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season reaches its August-October peak. The guidance focuses on inventorying belongings, reserving storage early, and planning moves and access details before a storm disrupts the Gulf Coast.

Why it matters: - Houston sits on the Gulf Coast, where even one storm can disrupt homes, businesses, and access to belongings. - Early planning can reduce losses from water, humidity, delayed access, and last-minute storage shortages. - The advice also applies to businesses that face inventory loss, equipment damage, and downtime after a storm.

What happened: - Johnnie T. Melia Moving & Storage issued hurricane-season preparedness guidance for Greater Houston households and businesses. - The company is telling residents to prepare before the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season reaches its August-October peak. - The guidance covers protecting belongings, securing storage, planning moves, and verifying mover credentials.

The details: - NOAA is forecasting a below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, with eight to 14 named storms, three to six hurricanes, and one to three major hurricanes. - The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. - Forecasters link the quieter outlook in part to a developing El Niño pattern that can increase wind shear and suppress storm formation. - NOAA says the seasonal outlook measures overall activity and is not a landfall forecast. - Johnnie T. Melia Moving & Storage says residents should create a home inventory with photos or video of high-value items, furniture, electronics, artwork, heirlooms, and important documents. - The company says households should decide in advance which items would move first if a storm enters the forecast. - Essentials, including documents, medications, and small valuables, should be packed and kept in an easy-to-grab container. - Residents should confirm elevator reservations, parking, gate codes, and building rules before a move. - Ground-floor and low-lying belongings should be moved to higher ground or off-site storage before flooding becomes a risk. - Reserving storage early can help households keep furniture, seasonal items, and belongings safe during storm repairs or housing transitions. - Climate-controlled storage is especially important in Houston because heat and humidity can damage wood furniture, electronics, photographs, and documents. - Customers should verify that a mover has active Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and U.S. Department of Transportation credentials. - A written estimate helps protect against unexpected costs during peak-demand periods. - Customers should disclose stairs, long carries, oversized items, specialty items, and storage needs before moving day. - Businesses should identify critical equipment, records, and inventory in advance and decide what must be relocated or secured. - Commercial clients should also consider off-site storage for materials that would be expensive or difficult to replace. - Johnnie T. Melia Moving & Storage offers local, long-distance, and interstate moving, commercial and office moving, professional packing, specialty moving, and short-term and climate-controlled storage. - The company serves Houston Heights, The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland, and Cypress. - Customers can request a free estimate or reserve storage at the company's website or by calling (713) 683-8585. - Johnnie T. Melia Moving & Storage was founded in 1969 and is a second-generation, family-owned company headquartered in Houston.

Between the lines: - The warning is less about the season forecast and more about readiness for the first storm that actually threatens Houston. - Storage availability often tightens only after a storm is named, which can force rushed decisions and limit options. - For many households, the practical risk is not just wind damage but the chain reaction of flooding, blocked access, and a compressed evacuation or move window. - For businesses, the biggest cost can be downtime, especially when records or equipment are not protected ahead of time.

What's next: - Johnnie T. Melia Moving & Storage is encouraging customers to contact the company early in the season while storage availability is best. - Houston households and businesses that want protection for belongings can reserve space or request an estimate before storm demand rises. - The company says early planning gives customers more options if a storm develops later in the season.