TAMPA – We’re tracking live updates on Hurricane Ian as it nears Cuba and eventually Florida this week in the Atlantic. Here’s how to find your evacuation zone, in the case of an evacuation order.
Ian was forecast to intensify rapidly and hit Cuba as a major hurricane late Monday, and then become an even stronger Category 4 hurricane over warm Gulf of Mexico waters before striking the west central coast of Florida on Wednesday.
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A surge of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) of ocean water and 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, with as much as 15 inches (38 centimeters) inches in isolated areas, was predicted for the Tampa Bay area. That’s enough water to inundate low-lying coastal communities.
Related: Live stream: Tracking Hurricane Ian as it nears Cuba
A hurricane watch was issued for Florida’s central western coast including the Tampa Bay area, where Hillsborough County suspended classes through Thursday to prepare schools to serve as shelters for evacuees. Additional watches for more northern areas along the peninsula’s west coast may be issued, Brown said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency throughout Florida and urged residents to prepare for the storm to lash large swaths of the state with heavy rains, high winds and rising seas. The Florida National Guard is activating 2,500 Guardsmen across the state.
Florida evacuation zones: How to find your zone ahead of Hurricane Ian
To stay safe from surge flooding, if you live in a zone that has been ordered to evacuate, get out. The best way to be prepared for a hurricane storm surge is to know your evacuation zone and plan your destination and travel routes ahead of time.
Florida coastal counties are susceptible to storm surge from tropical storms and hurricanes. For most coastal Florida counties, evacuation zones have been designated. Interior counties do not have designated evacuation zones.
Evacuation Zones - enter an address or use your device location to Know Your Zone and view designated evacuation zones.
Evacuation Routes - enter an address or use your device location to Know Your Zone and view nearby designated evacuation routes.
Evacuation Zones are designated by letter. Vulnerability may be assumed to increase as the designations go from Tropical Storm Zone to Zone F, with Tropical Storm Zone and Zone A as the most vulnerable. No other counties in the state have an F zone except the Northeast Florida counties, for now. Counties who use designated evacuation zones will use these letters when they order evacuations.
Florida evacuation route and zone by county
These county-wide evacuation route and zone maps are based upon the most up-to-date regional evacuation studies and are intended for general reference. Please note that within many counties, there may not be designated evacuation zones.
Alachua | Baker | Bay | Bradford | Brevard | Broward | Calhoun | Charlotte | Citrus | Clay | Collier | Columbia| DeSoto | Dixie | Duval | Escambia | Flagler | Franklin| Gadsden | Gilchrist | Glades | Gulf Hamilton | Hardee | Hendry | Hernando | Highlands | Hillsborough | Holmes | Indian River | Jackson | Jefferson Lake | Lafayette | Lee | Leon | Levy | Liberty Madison | Manatee | Marion | Martin | Miami-Dade | Monroe Nassau | Okaloosa | Okeechobee | Orange | Osceola | Palm Beach | Pasco | Pinellas | Polk | Putnam | Santa Rosa | Sarasota | Seminole | St. Johns | St. Lucie | Sumter | Suwannee| Taylor | Union | Volusia | Wakulla | Walton | Washington
DURING AN EMERGENCY, YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONSULTED REGARDING EVACUATION ORDERS.