Upvote:1
Personally, this is not something I would worry about. Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, blizzards all just happen and you can't really plan around them. So...
If you are traveling on a common carrier, you can check status before you depart. Amtrak is showing no delays in the area for example.
If and area is genuinely not safe, it would likely either still be restricted, such as residents only, or closed, such as a damaged bridge.
Yes, the best discounts are typically available further out from your travel dates.
Then you can't stay there :). If floods are the concern, the availability of you hotel can be know well in advance. Just call and ask if they're open.
If you are really worried, you can always get Travel Insurance.