Short answer: Miami follows Miami-Dade County Storm Surge Planning Zones A through E. Zone A is at risk from Category 1 storms, Zone E only from Category 5, but the county orders evacuations by track and projected surge, not category. Each address is checked in the county zone finder. Evacuation centers are a last resort and are listed on miamidade.gov or through 311 only once an evacuation is announced. The free EEAP helps residents who cannot leave alone.
Last verified: October 15, 2026, against the sources listed at the end of this page.
What are the hurricane evacuation zones in Miami?
Miami uses the five Miami-Dade County Storm Surge Planning Zones, A through E, where Zone A is at risk from Category 1 storms and Zone E only from Category 5 storms (Miami-Dade County, Storm Surge).
A Miami-Dade Storm Surge Planning Zone is an area that could see a storm surge of 1 1/2 feet or higher during a hurricane (Miami-Dade County). The county calls storm surge the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane and the main reason Miami-Dade residents are asked to leave before a storm.
| Zone | Storm surge risk begins at | What it means in Miami |
|---|---|---|
| A | Category 1 and higher | Greatest storm surge risk of the five zones |
| B | Category 2 and higher | Evacuated when track and projected surge reach it |
| C | Category 3 and higher | Evacuated when track and projected surge reach it |
| D | Category 4 and higher | Evacuated when track and projected surge reach it |
| E | Category 5 | At risk only from Category 5 storms |
The category column is a planning guide, not a trigger. Miami-Dade County evacuates each zone, or part of a zone, according to the hurricane track and projected surge, independent of the storm category (Miami-Dade County). So the zones ordered out for a given storm follow its forecast surge, not the category column alone.
The Miami-Dade zones are drawn from Sea, Lake and Overland Surge from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model grids that account for bays, rivers, water depth and bridges, and areas along canals, rivers and further inland are marked at risk on that basis (Miami-Dade County). So areas along Miami's rivers and canals, not only the Biscayne Bay shoreline, can fall in a zone.
How does a Miami resident find their evacuation zone?
A Miami address is checked in the Miami-Dade Storm Surge Planning Zone Finder, and during a storm the county Evacuation Orders map shows whether that zone has actually been ordered out (Miami-Dade County, Emergency Evacuations).
The Miami-Dade surge zones deal strictly with storm surge and are not the same as a flood zone, and each Miami household still has to determine whether its home is safe to stay in during a hurricane (Miami-Dade County). The county Mayor may also recommend evacuation for people living in flood prone areas that may not be in storm surge inundation areas (Miami-Dade County).
The Florida Division of Emergency Management asks Florida residents to check each year whether they live in an evacuation zone, a low-lying flood prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure during hurricane season (Florida Division of Emergency Management). The state names those areas and buildings as the ones most likely to be evacuated.
For a Miami household reading a surge forecast, the National Hurricane Center defines storm surge as an abnormal rise of water above the predicted astronomical tide, and storm tide as surge and tide combined (National Hurricane Center). NHC adds that flooding is worst when surge coincides with normal high tide, and that waves on top of the surge can add more feet to the water level.
Who orders a hurricane evacuation in Miami, and how is it announced?
The Miami-Dade County Mayor may order residents of specific areas to evacuate, orders are issued by zone or partial zone, and the areas that should leave are announced on miamidade.gov and through local media (Miami-Dade County, Emergency Evacuations).
Miami-Dade County uses two kinds of instruction. An evacuation recommendation is aimed at residents with personal risk, such as people who need extra time because of mobility or who live in flood prone areas outside the surge zones. An evacuation order directs residents of specific areas to leave, based on the hurricane track and projected surge (Miami-Dade County).
Countywide planning sits with the Miami-Dade Department of Emergency Management, directed by Pete Gomez, at 9300 NW 41st St, phone 305-468-5400 (Miami-Dade DEM). Alerts reach any device through Miami-Dade Alerts, and the county relays storm information through local media (Miami-Dade County).
The City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue runs its own Division of Emergency Management, led by Assistant Fire Chief Grant Musser, at the Miami Riverside Center, 10th Floor, 444 SW 2nd Avenue, phone 305-416-5439 (City of Miami Division of Emergency Management). City alerts come by texting ALERTMIAMI to 888777. The city office offers preparedness, response and recovery information for Miami, while the zone map and the evacuation order come from Miami-Dade County.
Last verified: October 15, 2026, on the Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management website.
Where do Miami evacuees go, and what should they bring?
Miami-Dade County asks Miami evacuees to stay first with friends or family inland outside the evacuation area, and treats its hurricane evacuation centers as a shelter of last resort (Miami-Dade County, Emergency Evacuations).
The list of open Miami-Dade evacuation centers is published on miamidade.gov or given by calling 311 only once an evacuation is announced, and not every center opens for every storm, since the choice depends on the National Hurricane Center landfall forecast (Miami-Dade County). The county SAFE application, Storm Aides For Everyone, shows open centers, bus pickup locations, disaster assistance centers and points of distribution after an order is issued.
Miami-Dade gives each evacuee 20 square feet of space, all centers meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and service animals are allowed at every center (Miami-Dade County). Pet-friendly centers serve residents of evacuation areas, unsafe structures or mobile homes, with locations announced before the storm. Centers serve meals such as sandwiches and soups, but the county advises eating before leaving home because food takes time to set up, and outlets are limited.
| Item | Center provides | Evacuee brings |
|---|---|---|
| Space | 20 square feet per person | Sleeping bag, mat, folding cot or lawn chair |
| Food and water | Meals such as sandwiches and soups | Drinking water, snacks, special diet items |
| Medication | Refrigeration for prescription medication | The medication itself |
| Power | Limited outlets | Charged phones, tablets and battery packs |
| Personal items | Not listed | Cash, hygiene items, extra clothing, infant and child care items |
For Miami residents unable to get to an evacuation center, Miami-Dade activates emergency evacuation bus pickup sites marked EMERGENCY EVACUATION BUS PICKUP SITE, with buses that run only between pickup sites and centers (Miami-Dade County). Regular Miami-Dade Transit can carry riders to a pickup site if the operator is told, but public transportation may shut down three hours before the storm or when winds exceed 39 mph.
What evacuation help exists for Miami residents who cannot leave on their own?
Miami residents who need specialized transportation or sheltering can register before a storm for the free Miami-Dade Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program (EEAP), and registered residents get priority when an emergency arrives (Miami-Dade County, EEAP).
Miami-Dade lists who is eligible for the EEAP: people unable to evacuate on their own because of a specialized transportation need, homebound residents who cannot walk to a bus pickup point and have no one to drive them, people whose medical needs prevent them from leaving alone, bedbound residents, people on life-sustaining equipment that requires electricity, and people who need help with daily living activities (Miami-Dade County, EEAP). The registrant hotline is 305-513-7700 and the TTY/TDD line is 305-468-5402.
Residents of Miami nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes are not eligible, because those facilities are required by law to have their own emergency plan (Miami-Dade County). The EEAP application is offered in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole, and an eligible resident who has not registered should call 311 when an emergency arises, though registered residents have priority.
One rule overrides the zone map in Miami-Dade County. Mobile home residents and people on electrically dependent life-sustaining medical equipment should evacuate whenever any hurricane evacuation order is issued, regardless of their storm surge planning zone (Miami-Dade County).
How long does the 2026 hurricane season last for Miami?
The Atlantic hurricane season that Miami plans around runs from June 1 to November 30, so on October 15, 2026, Miami-Dade evacuation zones remain in play through November 30 (National Hurricane Center).
For Miami planning, the National Hurricane Center puts the statistical peak of the Atlantic season on September 10, and notes that storms sometimes form before June 1 and after November 30 (National Hurricane Center). NHC says most Atlantic activity falls between mid-August and mid-October.
One stale item on the official Miami-Dade page is worth flagging. As checked on October 15, 2026, the county Emergency Evacuations page still carries a COVID-19 evacuation center section with mask and six-foot distancing instructions (Miami-Dade County). The current evacuation steps on that same page, from the zone finder to the 311 center list, are the parts that apply to a Miami evacuation today.
The practical order for a Miami household before the next storm: look up the zone in the Miami-Dade finder, sign up for Miami-Dade Alerts and the city ALERTMIAMI text, register with the EEAP if anyone in the home qualifies, and decide in advance which inland friend or relative to stay with. The Miami public safety guides on flood risk zones and emergency services cover the related questions.
Frequently asked questions
What evacuation zone is Miami in?
Miami has no single zone. Miami-Dade County Storm Surge Planning Zones A through E cover different parts of the city, with Zone A at greatest risk. Each address is checked in the county Storm Surge Planning Zone Finder.
Is an evacuation zone the same as a flood zone in Miami?
No. Miami-Dade storm surge planning zones deal strictly with storm surge from a hurricane. They are not the same as a flood zone, and Miami-Dade may still recommend evacuation for flood prone areas outside the surge zones.
Where are hurricane shelters in Miami?
Miami-Dade County publishes the list of open evacuation centers only once an evacuation is announced, on miamidade.gov or by calling 311, and not every center opens for every storm. The county SAFE application also shows open centers and bus pickup sites.
Can pets go to a Miami-Dade evacuation center?
Service animals are allowed at all Miami-Dade evacuation centers. Pet-friendly centers serve residents of evacuation areas, unsafe structures or mobile homes, and their locations are announced before the storm arrives.
How does someone in Miami get help evacuating?
Residents who need specialized transportation or sheltering can register for the free Miami-Dade Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program before a storm. The registrant hotline is 305-513-7700. Residents who cannot get to an evacuation center can use emergency evacuation bus pickup sites.
Sources
- Miami-Dade County, Storm Surge Planning Zones https://www.miamidade.gov/global/emergency/hurricane/storm-surge-zones.page Used for: zones A to E by storm category, 1.5 foot surge definition, SLOSH model, orders independent of category, mobile home rule, Miami-Dade Alerts
- Miami-Dade County, Emergency Evacuations https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1477583540306215 Used for: recommendation versus order, orders by zone, evacuation centers as last resort, 311, SAFE app, bus pickup sites, 20 square feet, pet-friendly centers, transit shutdown, what to bring, county DEM contact
- Miami-Dade County, Emergency and Evacuation Assistance Program (EEAP) https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1470238193996672 Used for: free assistance, eligibility, hotline and TTY numbers, facility residents excluded
- City of Miami Division of Emergency Management https://www.miami.gov/My-Government/Departments/Emergency-Management Used for: city emergency manager, phone, address, ALERTMIAMI text alerts
- National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/ Used for: Atlantic season June 1 to November 30, peak September 10
- National Hurricane Center, Storm Surge Overview https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/ Used for: storm surge and storm tide definitions
- Florida Division of Emergency Management, Know Your Zone, Know Your Home https://www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone/ Used for: annual check of evacuation zone, flood prone area, mobile home or unsafe structure
How this page was made
Digital Towns uses AI assistance to research and write its guides, and every page is only as good as the sources it cites. Our goal is the most accurate, useful local information possible.
This page was fact-checked twice before publishing.
If you see an error, or anything you can show is false, tell us right away and we will take a third look.
Report an error
Thank you. We'll take a third look and correct the page if it's wrong.
