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Leon County hurricane guide

Leon County Emergency Management plans for hurricanes, issues evacuation orders, and announces shelters for the county and the City of Tallahassee. Leon is inland, but storm surge from Apalachee Bay can reach the southern part of the county, and falling trees, high winds, and inland flooding affect everyone. If a hurricane or severe storm with damaging winds threatens, the county says everyone in a mobile or manufactured home should plan to leave for a safer place.

Checked on September 30, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Leon County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Leon County

  • The county says evacuation notices are issued at least 24 hours before tropical storm force winds arrive. If you need a ride to a shelter, call 211.
  • After a storm, place debris at the curb in separate piles: construction, vegetative, household hazardous waste, appliances, and electronics. Do not bag debris or put it in containers. Collection may take several passes.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Emergency management office 850-606-3700 Shelter openings, special needs help, and hurricane questions. Not for emergencies.
County information line 850-606-5300 Office line. Not for emergencies.
Non-emergency dispatch (Consolidated Dispatch Agency) 850-606-5800 For police matters that are not emergencies.
Animal services 850-606-5400 Leon County Animal Control, for unincorporated Leon County. After hours, call 850-606-5800.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511) 511 Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information

  • Leon Alerts: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
  • Leon County Citizens Connect App: The county's emergency app for iPhone and Android, with alerts, road closures, sandbag sites, evacuation routes, and debris collection plans. Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.leoncountyfl.citizensconnectmobileapp. Website.
  • Leon County Emergency Information Portal: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
  • 2026-27 Disaster Survival Guide: The county's printable guide, with the shelter map and storm surge zones. Website.

Evacuation zones

Southern Leon County has two storm surge evacuation zones. Zone C covers areas east of Crawfordville Highway to the Jefferson County line, and areas along and south of Glover Road, Oak Ridge Road, Rhodes Cemetery Road, and Meridale Drive. Zone D includes all of Zone C, plus areas east of Springhill Road to the Jefferson County line, and areas along and south of Capital Circle SW, Capital Circle SE, and Tram Road. It is illegal to stay in a home under a mandatory evacuation order. If you live in a mobile or manufactured home, plan to leave during any mandatory order, whatever your zone.

Look up your evacuation zone

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Leon County publishes a list of risk shelters, but not every shelter opens for every disaster. Check the Emergency Information Portal or call 850-606-3700 to learn which shelters are open. Risk shelters may have only water, snacks, and a safe place to stay, so bring medicines, ID, bedding, and snacks. The list below is for planning only. Go to a shelter only after the county announces it is open.

Official list of open evacuation centers

These are locations the county has used or designated as evacuation centers. They are listed for planning only.

Name Address Serves
Fort Braden Elementary School 15100 Blountstown Hwy. General
Sail High School 2006 Jackson Bluff Rd. General
Godby High School 1717 West Tharpe St. General
Leon High School 550 East Tennessee St. General
Rickards High School 3013 Jim Lee Rd. General
Chiles High School 7200 Lawton Chiles Lane General
Lincoln High School 3838 Trojan Trail General
Fairview Middle School 3415 Zillah Road General

Help to evacuate

  • Special needs shelter registration: Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. Register online with the state registry and update it every year. For help, call Leon County Emergency Management. Phone: 850-606-3700. Website.
  • Leon County Animal Control: County animal services for unincorporated Leon County, 911 Easterwood Drive, Tallahassee. Inside Tallahassee city limits, call city Animal Control at 850-891-2958. Phone: 850-606-5400. Website.

Radio, TV and weather

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Radio stations

Station Frequency Language Notes
WTNT-FM 94.9 FM English Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WFSU-FM 88.9 FM English Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WFLA-FM 100.7 FM English Talk station for Tallahassee, licensed to Midway.

Emergency Alert System roles come from the Florida state EAS plan, last revised in April 2021.

NOAA Weather Radio

A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.

Station Frequency Transmitter
KIH24 162.400 MHz Tallahassee

TV stations

Station Channel Network Language
WCTV 6 CBS English
WTXL-TV (WTXL ABC 27) 27 ABC English
WTWC-TV (NBC 40) 40 NBC English
WFSU-TV (WFSU) 11 PBS English

Official forecasts

  • National Weather Service Tallahassee: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 850-942-8833. Website.
  • National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris

  • City of Tallahassee Utilities: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 850-891-4968. Website.
  • Talquin Electric Cooperative: Also written 1-844-TALQUIN (automated). Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-844-825-7846. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Where to start

  • 211 Big Bend (now Lifeline Connection): The 211 helpline for the Big Bend counties around Tallahassee; it connects callers to local help and crisis support. 24 hours a day. Phone: 850-617-6333. Website.

Housing and shelter

  • FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.

Food

  • Second Harvest of the Big Bend: Regional food bank for the Big Bend; its site has a Find Food page. Phone: 850-562-3033. Website.
  • Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP): State food benefits after a declared disaster. Dates and locations are posted when it opens. Website.

Money, work and insurance

  • DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
  • Florida Insurance Consumer Helpline: Free help with insurance claims and disputes. Phone: 1-877-693-5236. Website.
  • SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance: For people who lose work because of a declared disaster. Website.
  • Legal Services of North Florida (Tallahassee office): Free civil legal help for low-income residents; apply online or call the office for your county. Phone: 850-385-9007. Website.
  • Florida Disaster Relief Hotline: Free legal help for disaster survivors, switched on after a storm. Phone: 1-866-550-2929. Website.

Emotional support

  • NWF Health Network (Northwest Florida Health Network): State-contracted managing entity that funds and coordinates public mental health and substance use care in its region; it does not treat people directly. Website.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations

  • American Red Cross Capital Area Chapter (North and Central Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Office hours Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 850-878-6080. Website.

Scams, contractors and price gouging

  • Price gouging hotline (Florida Attorney General): Report price gouging during a declared state of emergency. Phone: 1-866-966-7226. Website.
  • Contractor license check (DBPR): Check any contractor's license before you pay for repairs. Phone: 850-487-1395. Website.

Cities and towns

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

Sources

Checked on September 30, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.