Alabama Hurricane Tracker
Alabama's coast is short, just Mobile and Baldwin counties, but Mobile Bay is a 30-mile funnel that turns a storm passing to the west into a surge event for downtown Mobile, the Causeway, and every bayou community from Bayou La Batre to Fairhope. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 made landfall in Louisiana and still put 11 to 12 feet of water into Mobile Bay and flooded downtown Mobile. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 came ashore at Gulf Shores as a Category 3 and is still the benchmark for wind damage in Baldwin County.
Hurricane Sally in September 2020 was the newer lesson. Only a Category 2 at Gulf Shores, it crawled ashore at 3 mph and dropped 20 to 30 inches of rain, flooded Orange Beach and Pensacola, and left Baldwin County without power for more than a week. Hurricane Zeta in 2020 showed how far the effects reach, with hurricane-force gusts and outages well into central Alabama. Hurricane Frederic in 1979, which flattened Dauphin Island and the Mobile waterfront, is the storm older residents still measure everything against.
Radar
Composite radar, Alabama Gulf Coast.
Wind
ECMWF wind forecast, Alabama Gulf Coast.
Know Your Evacuation Zone
Mobile County and Baldwin County each publish zone maps and issue their own orders. Low-lying areas along Mobile Bay, the Gulf beaches, Dauphin Island, Fort Morgan, and the bayou communities are in the first zones called. Alabama runs contraflow on I-65 north from Mobile when a large evacuation is ordered, and the I-10 Bayway, the Causeway, and the Dauphin Island bridge close at sustained winds around 40 mph.
County Emergency Management
The two coastal counties and the inland counties that take the first wind and rain. Your county emergency management agency posts local evacuation orders, shelter openings, and re-entry information.
Metro pages
Mobile and Dauphin Island
Coming soon
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
Coming soon
Dothan and the Wiregrass
Coming soon
Alabama-specific prep
Alabama pioneered the IBHS FORTIFIED roof standard, which is built for high-wind resistance. The Strengthen Alabama Homes program offers grants of up to $10,000 toward a FORTIFIED roof for eligible homeowners in Mobile and Baldwin counties, and insurers are required to discount premiums for homes that meet the standard. If you are in a coastal county, apply before the season starts.
Standard homeowners policies in coastal areas often exclude wind. Wind coverage comes through the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association, the state wind pool, and binding is suspended once a named storm is in the Gulf. You cannot buy it at the last minute, so confirm your wind coverage before June.
Flood damage from storm surge or heavy rain is not covered by standard homeowners or wind policies. You need a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy, which has a 30-day waiting period. Hurricane Sally flooded homes miles from the coast, so do not assume you are safe because you are not on the beach.
The Alabama Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is held the last full weekend in February. Portable generators up to $1,000, batteries, weather radios, tarps, and similar supplies are exempt. That means buying your hurricane supplies in winter, not in June. Check revenue.alabama.gov for the 2026 dates and the full list of qualifying items.
After a coastal evacuation, Baldwin County and the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach police departments issue re-entry passes to residents and businesses. You need a pass to cross checkpoints and get back to your property before the general public. Get yours before the season starts.
Expect a week or more without power in Baldwin County after any direct hit. Sally left the county dark for more than a week. Run a generator at least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent, never in a garage or carport, and install a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm.
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama have hurricane evacuation zones?
Yes, published separately by Mobile County and Baldwin County. Low-lying areas along Mobile Bay, the Gulf beaches, Dauphin Island, and Fort Morgan are in the first zones called. Orders come from the county emergency management agency. Alabama runs contraflow on I-65 north from Mobile when a large evacuation is ordered.
When is the Alabama severe weather tax-free weekend?
The last full weekend in February. The Alabama Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday exempts portable generators up to $1,000, batteries, weather radios, tarps, and similar supplies. That means buying hurricane supplies in winter, not in June. Check revenue.alabama.gov for the 2026 dates.
What is a FORTIFIED roof and does Alabama pay for it?
FORTIFIED is an Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety roof standard built for high-wind resistance. Alabama pioneered it. The Strengthen Alabama Homes program offers grants of up to $10,000 toward a FORTIFIED roof for eligible homeowners in Mobile and Baldwin counties, and insurers are required to discount premiums for homes that meet the standard.
How high can storm surge get in Mobile Bay?
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 produced 11 to 12 feet of surge in Mobile Bay and flooded downtown Mobile, even though it made landfall in Louisiana. National Hurricane Center modeling shows a major hurricane tracking just west of the bay could push surge well above that, because the bay is a 30-mile funnel that piles water into the city.
When was the last hurricane to hit Alabama?
Hurricane Sally in September 2020, which came ashore at Gulf Shores as a Category 2. It crawled inland at 3 mph and dropped 20 to 30 inches of rain, flooding Orange Beach and Pensacola and leaving Baldwin County without power for more than a week.
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Neighboring states
Alabama borders Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia. Browse all states →