The Storm-Ready Guide

Short on time? Here's the 5-minute version: how to use your umbrella so it lasts, how to walk in wind, where to keep all three, and what to have ready before the big storms arrive.

1. Your first 60 seconds with StormShield

1. To open: point it away from your face and press the button once. It opens on its own.
2. To close: press the same button. The canopy folds down by itself.
3. To lock: push the shaft down toward the handle until it clicks. It’s firm the first few times and gets smoother with use.

The one habit that keeps it working for years: always close it with the button, never by pulling the canopy down by hand. Pulling it down by hand is the most common reason automatic umbrellas jam, on any brand.

2. Where to keep your three umbrellas

The best umbrella is the one within reach when the sky opens. Most people get soaked because their umbrella is somewhere else. Spread your three out:

• Umbrella 1, your bag: clip the ring handle onto your bag, backpack or stroller so it comes with you without you thinking about it.
• Umbrella 2, your car: keep it in the driver’s door pocket, not the trunk, so you can open it before you step out.
• Umbrella 3, someone you love: your partner, your kid’s school bag, or by the front door for whoever leaves last.

Different colours make it easy to tell whose is whose.

3. How to walk in the wind

• Tilt it into the wind. Point the top of the canopy toward where the wind and rain are coming from, like a shield. Holding it straight up lets gusts get underneath.
• Hold it lower and closer. In gusts, bring the handle down near your chest and grip it with both hands. Less leverage for the wind, more control for you.
• Watch corners and gaps between buildings. Wind speeds up as it squeezes between buildings and around corners. Tilt into it before you turn the corner, not after.
• If it flips, don’t fight it. Turn so the open canopy faces into the wind and it will usually pop right back. The flexible 10-rib frame is built to bend and return instead of snapping.

4. Why this winter matters

In its September 2026 update, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center put the chance of a very strong El Niño this winter above 90%, with the peak expected around November to January. In El Niño winters, the southern US (Southern California, the Southwest, Texas, the Gulf Coast and Florida) tends to be wetter and stormier than normal, while the Pacific Northwest and Ohio Valley tend to be drier. NOAA updates its forecast monthly at cpc.ncep.noaa.gov if you want to follow along.

5. Your storm-season checklist

In your bag

• StormShield, clipped on
• A zip bag or waterproof pouch for your phone
• A spare pair of socks (especially if you have kids)

In your car

• StormShield in the door pocket
• An old towel for wet seats and wet dogs
• A phone charger and a small flashlight
• A light rain jacket or poncho for when it’s too gusty for any umbrella

At home, before the first big storm

• Clear leaves out of gutters and the drain by your door or driveway
• Sign up for your local weather alerts so storms don’t surprise you
• Know your route to work or school if a street usually floods

6. Make it last

• Shake, then dry open. Give it a few firm shakes outside, then leave it open to dry before you fold it away for long.
• Don’t store it wet and folded for days. That’s how fabric gets musty.
• Wipe the ribs after salty or muddy days. A quick wipe keeps the joints moving freely.
• Keep the button clear. If it ever feels sticky, open and close it a few times to loosen any grit.

7. When to put the umbrella away

Some weather is a go-inside situation, not an umbrella situation:

• Thunder or lightning: the National Weather Service puts it simply: when thunder roars, go indoors. Don’t wait it out under an umbrella.
• Flooded roads: never walk or drive through moving water. Turn around and find another way.
• Severe wind warnings: no umbrella is storm-proof, including this one. If officials say stay inside, stay inside.

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