TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Michael roared nearer to the Florida Panhandle as a still-growing Category 4 hurricane Wednesday, lashing wind and rain and pushing a storm surge onto white-sand beaches and coastal communities hours before making landfall.
Florida evacuation orders
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Bay County - Mandatory
Mandatory evacuation orders are now in place for zones A, B, and C.
Calhoun County - Voluntary/Phased
Mobile Homes and Low Lying Areas
Citrus County - Mandatory
Citrus County is under a Local State of Emergency and the declaration has been signed by the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners for the immediate evacuation for the following: • Affected Evacuation Areas: Zone A, and; • Mobile homes, RVs, manufactured housing countywide o For further information, refer to our Evacuation Zone Map at www.sheriffcitrus.org or gis.citrusbocc.com/address-lookup.html. o This immediate evacuation order takes effect Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 9am.
Dixie County - Mandatory
Evacuation of coastal, zone A, low lying areas, and mobile homes at 0800 hours on 10/09/2018
Escambia County - Voluntary/Phased
Zone A includes Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key, and low-lying areas in Escambia County. If you live in a mobile home or have special needs, you should consider evacuation no matter the zone in which you live.
Franklin County - Mandatory
Mandatory Evacuation will be begin at 8:00 am for the entire county
Gadsden County - Mandatory
Gulf County - Mandatory
MANDATORY EVACUATION At the 10:00 AM emergency board meeting a mandatory evacuation was issued for the following areas: • All of Cape San Blas • All of Indian Pass area • Simmons Bayou, Highland View • Windmark • In the City of Port St. Joe all areas from St. Joseph Bay to Long Avenue. • St. Joe Beach and Beacon Hill – Waterside of Hwy. 98 • Those with high profile vehicles, living in mobile homes, low lying areas, or anyone who feels unsafe in their current location must evacuate COUNTYWIDE All of these areas must be evacuated within 24 hours of this notice. Critical Businesses in those areas may remain open until 12:00 PM ET Tuesday, October 9, 2018. VOLUNTARY EVACUATION Hwy 98 Inland on St. Joe Beach and Beacon Hill.
Hernando County - Voluntary/Phased
Voluntary evacuation order for coastal zone levels A and B for Tuesday beginning at 8 a.m.
Jackson County - Mandatory
Mobile Homes, Manufactured Home, RV parks and State parks
Jefferson County - Mandatory
Voluntary Evacuation; Coastal, low lying areas, and mobile homes as of 12 Noon today
Leon County - Voluntary/Phased
Mobile Homes and low lying flood prone areas.
Levy County - Mandatory
Evacuation Ordered for Coastal Levy County. Please go to www.levydisaster.com for more information
Liberty County - Voluntary/Phased
Voluntary evacuations for mobile homes, sub standard housing and low lying areas.
Madison County - Voluntary/Phased
Mobile Homes and Unsafe Structures
Okaloosa County - Mandatory
Okaloosa County Evacuation Start at 5:00pm for voluntary, then mandatory at 08:00 Tuesday morning
Pasco County - Voluntary/Phased
Low lying, mobile homes, flood prone, storm surge areas
Santa Rosa County - Voluntary/Phased
Voluntary evacuations for mobile home parks, campsites, low-lying areas, and Navarre Beach.
Taylor County - Mandatory
Mandatory evacuation of all coastal and low lying areas of Taylor County.
Wakulla County - Mandatory
Mandatory Evacuation order for Zone A (coastal and low lying areas)and Mobile Homes and other weak structures the remainder of Wakulla County will be under a voluntary evacuation order. The evacuation orders will start effective at 8 pm this evening (October 8th). Citizens that are evacuating should evacuate to an area outside of the storm’s path. Neighboring counties will also be in the storm’s path and there for at risk. THERE WILL BE NO SHELTERS OPENED IN WAKULLA COUNTY.
Walton County - Mandatory
Mandatory Evacuations for Zones A and B.
Washington County - Voluntary/Phased
Voluntary Evacuations are encouraged. The following information is being circulated on social media and to our media outlets. With Hurricane conditions likely in Washington County beginning early Wednesday morning and continuing for several hours, we encourage residents who plan to leave to do so before 8PM this evening, October 9, 2018. Emergency Vehicles cannot be on roadways once wind speeds are at a constant or sustained 45 mph. Please make your plans and execute them before driving conditions become too dangerous if you plan to evacuate. Again, we expect there to be a point within the next 24 hours when conditions are too dangerous for emergency personnel to respond for several hours. In Washington County a General Population Shelter (RMS Campus) and a Special Needs Shelter (WAVE School) will open at 2:00pm today, October 9, 2018. Residents seeking local shelter should carry bedding, snacks, and medications. Shelters are not designed for comfort but safety only, we encourage residents to consider staying with friends or family and if possible, to evacuate outside of the hurricane warning areas.
Open Florida shelters
View of list of Open Shelters
Florida evacuations - Know Your Zone
All Florida coastal counties and counties along the St. Johns River are susceptible to storm surge and most have designated evacuation zones. Use the mapping tool above to search by address and determine if you are in a designated evacuation zone.
Evacuation Zones - to determine if you are in a designated evacuation zone
Read More About Evacuation Zones - learn more about designated evacuation zones, which counties have them and which don't, how flood zones are factored into evacuations, and evacuation orders.
Category 4 Hurricane Michael roars nearer to Florida coast
The unexpected brute quickly sprang from a weekend tropical depression and grew swiftly into what could be one of the Panhandle’s worst hurricanes in memory, with destructive wind, up to a foot (30 centimeters) of rain and a life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters).
At 5 a.m., an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter crew reported top sustained winds up to near 140 mph (225 kph) with higher gusts. Michael’s eye was about 140 miles (225 kilometers) from Panama City and 130 miles (209 kilometers) from Apalachicola, but moving relatively fast at 13 mph (21 kph). Tropical-storm force winds extending 185 miles (295 kilometers) from the center were already lashing the coast.
Florida officials said roughly 375,000 people up and down the Gulf Coast had been urged or ordered to evacuate, including all non-essential personnel at Tyndall Air Force Base east of Panama City. The home to the 325th Fighter Wing and some 600 military families appeared squarely targeted for the worst of the storm’s fury, and declared “HURCON 1” status, ordering everyone inland.