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 5 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.