TL;DR: Seven Florida Panhandle counties have evacuation orders for Hurricane Isaias, a Category 3 storm forecast for Friday night landfall near the Alabama border with up to 9 feet of surge.

Landfall forecast drives Panhandle orders

Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall Friday night along Florida's Panhandle near the Alabama border, according to Action News Jax reporting published October 08, 2026 at 1:23 pm EDT.

ABC News reported October 9, 2026 at 11:50 AM that Isaias was a powerful Category 3 storm inching closer to landfall late Friday into early Saturday morning.

ABC News reported the storm could bring 9 feet of storm surge to parts of Florida, along with high winds, torrential rain and potential tornados.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency forecasts tornados and heavy rain throughout Alabama, according to ABC News.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey have issued state of emergencies for dozens of counties in the storm's path, according to ABC News.

Florida residents can check the status of evacuation orders via an online map updated by the state's Division of Emergency Management, according to ABC News.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management states on its Evacuation Orders page that evacuation orders for Florida counties can be found on that page and directs residents to local Emergency Management websites for additional information.

Bay County voluntary evacuation

Bay County issued a voluntary evacuation order, effective immediately, for all residents and visitors in Evacuation Zones A and B, according to Action News Jax.

The Bay County order also covers anyone staying in a mobile or manufactured home anywhere in the county, according to Action News Jax.

ABC News listed Bay among the counties where Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered evacuations.

Bay County is also among the counties where current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients who lost food due to Hurricane Isaias can request replacement benefits, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management disaster-updates page for Hurricane Isaias.

Escambia County Zones A and B

Escambia County issued an evacuation order for Evacuation Zones A and B, effective at noon Thursday, Oct. 8, according to Action News Jax.

The Escambia order includes Perdido Key, Innerarity Point, Pensacola Beach and other low-lying areas, according to Action News Jax.

The order also includes anyone living in a mobile home or a low-lying area, regardless of evacuation zone, according to Action News Jax.

Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore warned residents, "Your time for prep is coming to an end very fast," according to ABC News.

Escambia County emergency manager Travis Tompkins said residents should take evacuation orders seriously, according to ABC News.

Tompkins said, "We want to make sure that those barrier islands, the Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key, Energy Point, the low-lying areas — evacuate," according to ABC News.

Franklin and Gulf county actions

Franklin County is implementing a mandatory evacuation starting at noon Thursday for all Barrier Islands, Alligator Point, Bald Point, low-lying areas, mobile homes, and RV parks, according to Action News Jax.

Gulf County has a mandatory evacuation for RVs in effect at Water's Edge RV Park, Presnell's RV Resort and Indian Pass Campground due to potential storm surge and flooding, according to Action News Jax.

RV owners in other low-lying or flood-prone areas in Gulf County are strongly encouraged to voluntarily relocate to a safer location, according to Action News Jax.

ABC News listed Franklin and Gulf among the counties where Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered evacuations.

Franklin, Gulf and Escambia are among the counties where current SNAP recipients who lost food due to Hurricane Isaias can request replacement benefits, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties

Okaloosa County placed Zones A and B under mandatory evacuation beginning at noon Thursday, according to Action News Jax.

Walton County placed Zones A, B and C under mandatory evacuation beginning Thursday at noon Central Time, according to Action News Jax.

ABC News listed Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa among the counties where Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered evacuations, along with Bay, Escambia, Franklin and Gulf counties.

Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton are among the counties where current SNAP recipients who lost food due to Hurricane Isaias can request replacement benefits, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

SNAP recipients in Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton or Washington counties must be current SNAP recipients and complete the form by Monday, October 19, 2026, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Residents can visit MyFLFamilies.com/Isaias to learn more and request SNAP assistance, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Alabama evacuations across state line

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a mandatory evacuation order Thursday for all non-residents, tourists and visitors in Baldwin County, according to ABC News.

The Alabama order includes Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and Dauphin Island in Mobile County, according to ABC News.

Ivey said in a video statement, "We often hear in emergency management: Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. That is the approach we need with this particular storm system," according to ABC News.

State emergency declaration and staffing

Executive Order Number 26-202 states that as of 5:00 PM EDT on October 6, 2026, the National Hurricane Center designated a tropical system in the southwestern Gulf as Tropical Depression Nine.

The order states Tropical Depression Nine was forecast to intensify into a hurricane and approach the northern Gulf Coast.

The order states a stalled frontal system produced widespread heavy rainfall across portions of North Florida, with rainfall totals of approximately five to nine inches reported in some areas.

The order states saturated soils, elevated water levels, overwhelmed drainage systems and additional expected heavy rainfall increased potential for flash flooding and riverine flooding.

The order declares a state of emergency in Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla and Washington Counties.

The order designates the Director of the Division of Emergency Management as State Coordinating Officer and orders the Adjutant General to activate the Florida National Guard as needed.

The order also directs the Director of the Florida State Guard to activate the Florida State Guard as needed.

Gov. DeSantis said at a news conference Friday, "There will be impacts," and urged residents to heed warnings, according to ABC News.

DeSantis said, "If you're in the panhandle, assume that you are going to lose power. Prepare that you are going to lose power," according to ABC News.

The governor said the state's Highway Patrol had more than 300 troopers ready to assist with evacuations, emergency response and recovery operations, according to ABC News.

The Florida Department of Health is preparing more than 100 ambulances for possible evacuations and patient transportation, according to ABC News and statements from the governor.

Where to get shelter and meals

EmergencyRV is partnering with the Florida Division of Emergency Management to assist residents displaced by Hurricane Isaias, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Families displaced by Hurricane Isaias who need temporary shelter can visit EmergencyRV.org to learn more and select the banner application, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Florida is working with nonprofit partners to provide meals in communities impacted by Hurricane Isaias, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Escambia County, The Salvation Army lists Sunrise Apartments at 4350 W Fairfield Dr in Pensacola, Camellia Garden Apartments at 901 Freedom Rd in Century, and Brownsville Community Center Parking Lot at 3100 W DeSoto St in Pensacola, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Escambia County, Operation BBQ lists Walmart at 501 North Navy Blvd in Pensacola, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Santa Rosa County, Operation BBQ Relief lists Walmart in Milton at 6275 US-90, Walmart in Pace at 4965 US-90, Walmart in Navarre Beach at 9360 Navarre Pkwy, and First Pentecostal Church at 4636 Forsyth St in Milton, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Santa Rosa County, The Salvation Army lists Floridatown Park at 3900 Floridatown Rd in Pace, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Walton County, Operation BBQ Relief lists Walmart at 1226 US-331 South in DeFuniak Springs, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Assistance centers and hotlines

Floridians impacted by disasters can visit local Multi-Agency Resource Centers to request assistance for individuals, families and businesses for food, water, housing and recovery services, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Residents are advised to bring identification, proof of residence, insurance information and other official documentation related to disaster losses, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Escambia County, centers include Bayview Senior Citizens Center at 2000 East Lloyd St in Pensacola from 7 AM to 7 PM CDT and Salvation Army Community Center at 1501 North Q St in Pensacola from 7 AM to 7 PM CDT, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Okaloosa County, centers include Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center Ballrooms 2-4 at 1250 Miracle Strip Pkwy in Fort Walton Beach from 7 AM to 7 PM CDT and Crestview Community Center at 1446 Commerce Dr in Crestview from 7 AM to 7 PM CDT, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Santa Rosa County, the center is Pensacola State College Milton Campus Gym at 5988 U.S. 90 in Milton from 7 AM to 7 PM CDT, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Walton County, the center is DeFuniak Springs Community Center at 361 N 10th St in DeFuniak Springs from 7 AM to 7 PM CDT, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

In Washington County, the center is Wausau Town Hall at 1607 2nd Ave in Wausau from 8 AM to 7 PM CDT, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Listed nonprofit contacts include Salvation Army hotline 1-800-SAL-ARMY, Disaster Legal Hotline 833-514-2940, Samaritan's Purse hotline 1-833-747-1234, 2-1-1, Red Cross Hotline 1-800-Red Cros, United Methodist 855-228-3862, and Florida Baptist Disaster Relief at 904-253-0502, text Isaias to 27123, and email [email protected], according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

The Department of Health maintains a statewide list of active boil water notices for residents to access online, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation has teams available to visit restaurants and bars impacted by Hurricane Isaias, with assistance information at MyFloridaLicense.com, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Sources referenced