West Coasters don't usually worry about hurricanes. But this week, Hurricane Polo made landfall in Baja California Sur as a Category 2 storm, and Southern California still felt it. High surf, near 7 foot tides, and coastal flood advisories hit beaches from San Diego to Los Angeles. Polo didn't hit California directly. But if it had, would your phone have been ready?
It's so important to make sure you can stay connected, even when your connection drops. Go through these five steps now so you're storm ready the next time one hits. They only take about 20 minutes.
As a San Diegan, I can already feel Polo's effects from hundreds of miles away. The humidity is off the charts, and I can only imagine the winds tearing down the Baja coast right now. With El Niño in full effect this year, ocean water is running warmer than usual, and warmer water can fuel stronger storms.
1. Turn on emergency alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts warn you about evacuations, flash floods, and other serious threats. They come through your carrier's towers, so you don't need an app or data to get them. Here's the catch: A lot of people turn them off after one too many 3 a.m. alerts and forget they did it.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications and scroll to the bottom. Make sure Emergency Alerts and Public Safety Alerts are on.
- On Android, it's usually Settings > Safety & emergency > Wireless emergency alerts, or just search "emergency alerts" in Settings.
Emergency alerts come through your carrier's towers, so you don't need data to get them.
While you're at it, sign up for your county's alert system. Search your county name plus "emergency alerts." These alerts are often more detailed than statewide ones.
2. Download offline maps
If towers go down, your navigation app can turn into a blank grid. Offline maps keep working because they're saved on your phone, and GPS doesn't need a cell signal.
Our whole team uses Google Maps as our main navigation app, and this is one of its best features. Open Google Maps, search your city, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and hit Download offline map. I'd download two areas: your home and wherever you'd go if you had to leave.
Is your data plan storm ready?
Offline maps can be big files, so download them on Wi-Fi if you can. But if your home internet goes out, your phone might become your only way to get online. That's when a monthly data cap really hurts.
An unlimited plan with hotspot lets you keep your laptop or tablet connected too, so you can check updates and stay in touch without watching your data. You may even be able to replace your home internet with hotspot if you have a large enough allotment. Just know that unlimited data doesn't always mean unlimited hotspot, so check your plan before you need it.
3. Share your location now
When I tested apps for our location-sharing guide, one thing stood out. You need a connection to send the first share link. If you wait until the network is jammed, it might never go through.
Set up location sharing before the storm, not during it.
Google Maps works on both iPhone and Android (tap your profile picture, then Location sharing). If everyone in your family has an iPhone, Find My is already built in. For families who want everyone on one map, Life360 even shows how much battery each person has left, which is really handy during an outage.
4. Charge up and save battery
Charge everything the moment an advisory goes out, including your phone, your watch, and any power banks you have. A charged power bank in a drawer is the best backup you can have.
If the power goes out, turn on Low Power Mode (iPhone) or Battery Saver (Android) and dim your screen. If your signal is weak, your phone burns battery hunting for towers, so switching to Airplane Mode and checking in every hour can save a lot of power.
5. Check your carrier's backup options
This is the step most people skip, and it's the one that matters most when towers get overloaded. A few things to check with your carrier now:
- Turn on Wi-Fi calling. If your home internet still works but cell service doesn't, you can still call and text.
- See if your phone and plan support satellite texting. Newer iPhones and some Android phones can send emergency texts by satellite, and some carriers now offer satellite texting too.
- Bookmark your carrier's outage page. Carriers post outage updates there, and some offer free calls or data to people in disaster areas.
If your signal is spotty at home on a sunny day, it won't get better in a storm. Our coverage map comparison shows how each network stacks up where you live.
Try to text instead of calling
Texts often go through when calls don't. They use way less network capacity, so a quick "I'm OK" message beats calling over and over when everyone's trying to reach someone at once.
Storm prep for your phone: FAQ
Do emergency alerts work without data?
Yes, emergency alerts work without data. They're sent through your carrier's cell towers, so you'll get them as long as your phone has some signal.
Does Google Maps work without cell service?
Google Maps' GPS works without cell service if you download offline maps first. You can still see where you are and get directions, but you won't see live traffic until you reconnect.
Should I call or text during a storm?
You should text during a storm whenever you can. Texts are more likely to get through when lots of people are using the network at once, so save calls for real emergencies.
Jessica Santero
Staff Writer
Thousands of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
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