Hurricane season and your Topsail beach week: what renters should actually know

Every summer a few families ask us, quietly, whether it is safe to book August or September on the North Carolina coast. The honest answer: the vast majority of weeks are perfect, the risk is real but small, and the way to handle it is to know the rules before you book rather than worry during the week.

How often does it actually happen?

Hurricane season officially runs June 1 through November 30, with the busiest stretch from mid August to early October. In a typical year Topsail sees a few days of rough surf and rip current warnings from storms passing well offshore, and no evacuation at all. A mandatory evacuation of the island happens in some years and not in most. Since 2013 we have hosted well over a thousand weeks, and only a handful were interrupted.

What happens if a storm comes

Onslow County and the Town of North Topsail Beach issue evacuation orders, and when they do, everyone leaves the island, no exceptions. Our rental policies spell out exactly what we do for the nights lost to a mandatory evacuation. We also text every guest in house as soon as we know a storm is worth watching, usually days ahead, so nobody is surprised.

Travel insurance: yes, we recommend it

For any summer or early fall week, we suggest a travel insurance policy that covers hurricane and weather interruption. It is inexpensive relative to a week's rent and it turns a possible headache into a phone call. Buy it when you book; most policies must be purchased before a storm is named to cover it.

Reading the forecast without panicking

The National Hurricane Center's forecast cone is the only source worth watching, and even it is a five day probability, not a promise. A storm in the Caribbean on Monday is rarely a reason to cancel Friday. We have watched a lot of them; if you are unsure, call and we will tell you what we think.

After the storm

Barrier islands rebuild. Our homes are concrete construction built to the current coastal code, elevated, and shuttered when needed, which is why they have come through storms that reshaped the beach. If a storm affects the island before your arrival, we will tell you honestly whether the house, the beach, and the road are ready.