Provided by Zach Davidson

Galveston County has started its countdown to the 2026 hurricane season with new digital billboards.

The billboards are part of Galveston County’s annual hurricane preparedness campaign, urging residents to get ready for the upcoming season, which starts on June 1.

Director for the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management, Jesse Ryholt, said he hopes the billboards can be a reminder for residents to prepare ahead of time, like starting on an emergency kit.

“You can sort of pace it out over a couple of weeks as you head into hurricane season, whether it’s building your battery stash or dry canned foods … just sort of building up your emergency supply kit,” Ryholt said.

According to a Galveston County news release on Monday, emergency kits can include anything from water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries and important documents.

“Make sure you have at least 72 hours of supplies for each person, including pets and any special dietary needs,” officials said in the release.

The release told residents to plan ahead for power outages by charging devices and setting up backup power sources as well as knowing evacuation routes. Officials also advised residents to sign up for county-wide emergency alerts.

NOAA will issue its outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season during a news conference on May 21; however, Ryholt said residents should be prepared no matter the forecast.

“It really only takes one storm to come through and really do some damage, so it’s not a ‘Well, it looks like it’ll be a clear season.’ No, let’s not rest on that mindset, let’s always be ready,” Ryholt said.

Last month, researchers at Colorado State University released their prediction that there will be 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricane days this season. Three additional forecasts from CSU will be released throughout the year, on June 10, July 8 and Aug. 5.

There are eight hurricane season countdown billboards displayed around the county. To get the message out, the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management partnered with Clear Channel Outdoor, which provided the free billboards.

According to Clear Channel Outdoor officials, hurricane season countdown billboards also launched in Montgomery County on Tuesday and will launch in Fort Bend County on Thursday.