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Mecklenburg County hurricane guide

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management (CMEMO), a division of the Charlotte Fire Department, coordinates large-scale emergencies for the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and the towns of Pineville, Mint Hill, Matthews, Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville. This is an inland county with no storm surge evacuation zones. The office's guidance covers flash flooding, tornadoes, and hurricanes: do not walk, swim, or drive through floodwaters, and if evacuation is ordered, take only essential supplies and documents. Sign up for CharMeck Alerts before a storm.

Checked on October 2, 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management (CMEMO). In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Mecklenburg County

  • The office's flood guidance says just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down and one foot can sweep a vehicle away. Do not walk, swim, or drive through floodwaters. If flash flooding is a risk, learn and practice evacuation routes and shelter plans.

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 704-336-2412 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management, listed on the Charlotte emergency management page. Office line. Not for emergencies.
County information line (311) 311 CharMeck 311 serves Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Dial 311 inside Mecklenburg County, or 704-336-7600 from outside the county. Not for emergencies.
Road and traffic conditions (511) 511 Road closures and conditions. From outside North Carolina, call 877-511-4662. Overnight and during emergencies, use DriveNC.gov.

Official alerts and information

  • CharMeck Alerts (Everbridge): Free alerts by phone call, text, email, or push notification. Sign up before a storm. You can also call 3-1-1 to ask to be removed. Website.
  • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management: The office page, with preparedness guidance, the special needs registry, and alerts. Website.
  • NC Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN): Real-time rain and stream gauge levels, linked from the Prepare page. Website.

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.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management does not list shelter locations on its preparedness pages. For a hurricane, it says to evacuate immediately if ordered, taking only essential supplies and documents, and, if evacuation is unnecessary, to shelter indoors away from windows and doors. Watch CharMeck Alerts for any shelter information, and do not go to a site until it is announced.

Help to evacuate

  • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Special Needs Registry: A voluntary registry for people who are homebound or have specific access or functional needs requiring evacuation assistance. Registration will help prioritize assistance in emergencies based on the situation and available resources. Phone: 704-336-2412. 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 October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.