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Accomack County hurricane guide

Accomack County Emergency Management, based in Parksley, plans for storms and coordinates county response. The county says its low elevation and its location between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay make it extremely vulnerable to storm surge. If the county orders an evacuation, it says the route out of the county is Route 13 North.

Checked on October 9, 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 Accomack County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

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 757-789-3610 Accomack County Emergency Management, Parksley. Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency 757-787-1131 Main office line. The county also lists 757-824-5666. For police matters that are not emergencies.
Road and traffic conditions (511 Virginia) 511 Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information

  • Accomack County Emergency Notification (Everbridge): Free calls, texts, and emails about storms and evacuations. Sign up before a storm and add your cell and email. The county's emergency management page says it is upgrading to a new alert system, so check it for a new sign-up link. Website.
  • Accomack County evacuation plan: The county's page on evacuation levels, routes, and its evacuation zone and shelter map. Website.

Evacuation zones

Accomack County is in Virginia's Know Your Zone system, which uses zones A to D. The county describes four kinds of orders. A partial evacuation may cover all islands, waterfront properties including creeks and canals, low-lying areas next to marshes and wetlands, flood-prone areas, mobile and manufactured homes, and the evacuation zones on its map. A full evacuation covers the entire county. Voluntary means officials strongly recommend you leave, and mandatory means officials order you to leave. The route out of the county is Route 13 North, and the county says people who refuse to evacuate will not be forcibly removed but emergency crews may not be able to reach them. Orders are announced on local radio before an evacuation.

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.

Accomack County has six emergency shelter locations that can open on an as-needed basis: Accawmacke Elementary School, Arcadia Middle School, Arcadia High School, Metompkin Elementary School, Nandua Middle School, and Nandua High School. They will not all open at the same time, and openings are announced on local radio. You cannot enter a shelter until it is announced as open. Nandua High School is the designated pet shelter, for domestic cats and dogs only, with a kennel, food, and proof of rabies and distemper vaccination. Adults need photo ID, and the county says to be ready to be self-sufficient for three days. The county says these general shelters cannot meet special medical needs, so plan for those ahead of time.

Official list of open evacuation centers

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 9, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.