Virginians looking to prepare for hurricane season can thank the state for an upcoming tax holiday on items to keep their families ready in case of a storm.

Virginia is holding its first hurricane preparedness tax holiday May 25-31, ahead of the June 1 start of the hurricane season.

The tax break applies to products like generators, batteries, food-storage containers, first aid kits and bottled water.

Those purchases will be exempt from the five percent state and local retail sales tax. Sales tax will not be charged on generators costing $1,000 or less, or on 22 other products selling for $60 or less each.

The tax holiday is scheduled to take place during the last week of May through 2012.