Hurricane season in New Orleans runs June 1 through November 30, right across the summer months when leases turn over and moving calendars fill up. I'm Adonay Pineda, and AD Movers has moved families through storm season every year since 2013. This guide is how we plan a hurricane season move in New Orleans: which weeks carry the most risk, what we do when a system shows up in the Gulf, and what you should have ready the week you move.
Storm season covers half the calendar, but on most of those days there is nothing in the Gulf at all, and most moves booked between June and November go off on the day they were planned. The ones that go well share two things: a move date with a little give in it, and a mover who watches the forecast with you and calls first. That is really what moving during hurricane season in New Orleans comes down to.
The risk is not spread evenly across the season. These are the stretches that matter when you pick a date:
Early-season storms come less often and tend to be weaker, though not never: the metro braced for Barry in mid-July 2019. The bigger June and July problem is heat and the afternoon thunderstorm, so plan an early start and expect the crew to keep mattresses and upholstery covered between the door and the truck.
This is the heart of the season here. Katrina (August 29, 2005) and Ida (August 29, 2021) both came ashore in late August, Betsy hit on September 9, 1965, and Francine made landfall in Terrebonne Parish on September 11, 2024, knocking out power across southeast Louisiana. If your date falls in these two months, pick a backup day before you book.
Storm activity drops off and the heat finally breaks, which makes these the easiest months to move. Easier is not risk-free: Hurricane Zeta tracked directly over New Orleans on October 28, 2020, and left more than 280,000 customers in the metro without power. Keep checking the forecast until the season closes on November 30.
During an active system the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov) issues a full advisory every six hours. For every move on our calendar within the next five days, we check those advisories daily and call you as soon as a cone starts pointing at southeast Louisiana.
Every customer booked from June through November gets the same storm rules. We wrote them down so nobody has to guess on a stressful week:
The storm-season move nobody plans for is the one a storm forces on you: water in the first floor, a roof that let go, a landlord who says the unit can't be lived in. These storm displacement moves are rushed, and the house may still be without power, so plan them for daylight hours and pull the things you most want saved into the front rooms first.
If you're in that spot, call 504-237-0855 and tell us where things are going: temporary housing, family, a storage unit or a new lease. We schedule around insurance adjuster visits, can give you a written record of what was moved and when for your claim, and put storm-displaced families ahead of regular scheduling. If the next place isn't ready, we can take your things to one of our partner storage facilities.
If a system is in the Gulf the week you move, run through this list. Most of it is worth doing in any month:
Yes. The season runs June 1 to November 30, and on most of those days there is nothing in the Gulf at all. We watch National Hurricane Center advisories for every move booked in the next five days. If a named storm is forecast to affect the metro within 72 hours of your date, we call you and move it at no charge.
We call you first. Once a named storm is forecast to reach the New Orleans area within 72 hours of your move, we talk through a new date with you. There is no rescheduling fee, and you get first choice of the open days after the roads are clear and power is back along the route.
August and September. Katrina (2005) and Ida (2021) both made landfall on August 29, Betsy hit on September 9, 1965, and Francine came ashore in Terrebonne Parish on September 11, 2024. If your move lands in those weeks, choose a backup day before you book and keep your closing or lease dates as loose as you can.
Yes. If a hurricane, flood or wind damage forces you out, call 504-237-0855. Storm-displaced families go ahead of routine bookings, we schedule around adjuster visits, and we can give you a written record of what was moved for your claim. If the next place isn't ready, we can take your things to partner storage.
October and November are the easiest months; March and early April are next; avoid August–September and Mardi Gras weeks. October is easier, not risk-free: Hurricane Zeta passed directly over New Orleans on October 28, 2020. For a fall move, check the forecast the week before and keep one backup day in mind.
No. The hourly rate is the same all year and the same every day of the week. There is no hurricane-season surcharge, no fuel surcharge and no fee for a storm reschedule. Get a ballpark price at admoversla.com/moving-quote/ in about 60 seconds; the final price is confirmed with you before move day.
In summer the afternoon thunderstorm is a bigger day-to-day problem than any hurricane. Furniture is padded and wrapped before it leaves the house, and mattresses and upholstered pieces go in plastic covers. If a downpour sets in, the crew holds the carry until it passes and keeps working inside on wrapping and disassembly, so the clock is still doing useful work.
Talk to your insurance agent before you close. Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood; flood coverage is a separate policy, and a new National Flood Insurance Program policy usually has a 30-day wait before it takes effect, with exceptions tied to a mortgage closing. Check the address on FEMA's flood map so you know the zone.
Get a ballpark price in about 60 seconds. If a named storm heads our way within 72 hours of your date, we call you and move it at no charge. AD Movers has moved New Orleans families through every hurricane season since 2013.
Storm-season prep pairs well with our moving checklist, and if your date lands near Carnival, read moving during Mardi Gras too. Get your ballpark price anytime.
AD Movers is a licensed & insured New Orleans moving company providing local and long-distance moving across the areas we serve.
