{"id": "1217011577252610055", "title": "Hurricane Local Statement", "adv_date": "2026-10-08T15:20:00Z", "wmo": "HLSTAE", "msg": "147\nWTUS82 KTAE 081520\nHLSTAE\nALZ065>069-FLZ007>018-027-108-112-114-115-118-127-128-134-326-426-GAZ120>127-142>146-155>158-082330-\n\nHurricane Isaias Local Statement Advisory Number 8\nNational Weather Service Tallahassee FL  AL092026\n1120 AM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026 /1020 AM CDT Thu Oct 8 2026/\n\nThis product covers eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend, \nsoutheastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia.\n\n **ISAIAS STRONGER** \n**PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY FROM STORM SURGE AND \n DAMAGING WINDS IN THE WARNING AREA SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION \n TODAY**\n\nNEW INFORMATION\n---------------\n\n* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:\n    - The Storm Surge Watch has been upgraded to a Storm Surge \n      Warning for Coastal Dixie\n    - A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for Clay, Decatur, \n      Early, Gadsden, Leon, Miller, and Seminole\n    - A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Baker, Calhoun, \n      Colquitt, Dougherty, Grady, Inland Jefferson, Lee, Mitchell, \n      Quitman, Randolph, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth\n\n* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:\n    - A Storm Surge Warning and Hurricane Warning are in effect for \n      Coastal Bay and South Walton\n    - A Tropical Storm Warning and Hurricane Watch are in effect for \n      Central Walton and North Walton\n    - A Storm Surge Warning and Tropical Storm Warning are in effect \n      for Coastal Franklin, Coastal Gulf, Coastal Jefferson, and \n      Coastal Wakulla\n    - A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Coastal Dixie and \n      Coastal Taylor\n    - A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Calhoun, Clay, \n      Coffee, Dale, Decatur, Early, Gadsden, Geneva, Henry, Holmes, \n      Houston, Inland Bay, Inland Franklin, Inland Gulf, Inland \n      Wakulla, Jackson, Leon, Miller, Northern Liberty, Seminole, \n      Southern Liberty, and Washington\n    - A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Baker, Calhoun, \n      Colquitt, Dougherty, Grady, Inland Jefferson, Lee, Mitchell, \n      Quitman, Randolph, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth\n\n* STORM INFORMATION:\n    - About 520 miles south-southwest of Panama City or about 520 \n      miles southwest of Apalachicola\n    - 23.7N 90.2W\n    - Storm Intensity 85 mph\n    - Movement East-northeast or 60 degrees at 10 mph\n\nSITUATION OVERVIEW\n------------------\n\n...NEW TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PORTIONS OF\nSOUTHWEST GEORGIA...\n...NEW TROPICAL STORM WATCHES FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY\nAND SOUTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA COUNTIES...\n...STORM SURGE WARNING FOR DIXIE\nCOUNTY...\n\nAt 11 AM ET, Hurricane Isaias was located in the southern Gulf with\nmaximum sustained winds of 85 mph and moving ENE at 10 mph. There are\noverall no significant changes in the forecast reasoning from the\nprevious advisory. Isaias is forecast to turn northward in the next\nday or so and accelerate in forward speed towards the central Gulf\ncoast. Additional strengthening is anticipated through tonight, and\nmay be near major hurricane strength prior to landfall. The wind field\nis expected to expand considerably and may be lopsided towards the\neast, which means impacts are likely well beyond the forecast cone,\nparticularly east of the hurricane's center. Tropical Storm Warnings\nhave been expanded east to include Florida counties: Leon and Gadsden.\nTropical Storm Warnings for Georgia counties: Decatur, Seminole,\nMiller, Early, and Clay. The Tropical Storm Watch includes our Georgia\ncounties: Quitman, Randolph, Terrell, Lee, Calhoun, Dougherty, Worth,\nBaker, Mitchell, Colquitt, Grady, and Thomas. There is a Tropical\nStorm Watch for Jefferson County in Florida.\n\nConditions could begin to deteriorate across the Florida Panhandle as\nearly as Friday morning. Therefore, residents are urged to finalize\ntheir preparations today and early tomorrow.\n\nGiven the expected large size of Isaias as it nears northern Gulf\ncoast, the wind threat may extend well into the eastern portions of\nthe Tri-state area. An expected fast forward speed may also lead to\nthe wind threat extending further inland, especially near the core of\nthe storm. A Storm Surge Warning remains in effect from the all of our\nPanhandle and Big Bend coast. Life-threatening inundation values of\n5 to 7 feet above normally dry ground are forecast across the coastal\nPanhandle to Indian Pass, 4 to 6 feet from Indian Pass to the\nSteinhatchee River, and 3 to 5 feet from the Steinhatchee River to\nSuwannee River, coincident with the high tide. The greatest surge risk\nwill be Friday into Saturday.\n\nSoggy conditions across the region from recent rainfall will make much\nof the Tri-state area more sensitive to flooding from additional heavy\nrainfall from Isaias. Forecast rainfall totals of 3 to 7 inches is\nexpected across much of the area, with higher amounts of 10 inches\nwith isolated amounts up to 15 inches. If realized, these values are\nlikely to produce isolated to scattered flash flooding and some river\nflooding. Localized considerable flash flooding is also possible where\nbands of heavy rain move repeatedly over the same area. Given these\nfactors, a Flood Watch was issued for counties west of the\nI-75 corridor and Eastern FL Big Bend from Friday afternoon until\nSaturday evening. Isaias will also bring an elevated chance for\nseveral tornadoes across the Florida Panhandle and Western FL Big Bend\non Friday into Saturday and Southeast AL & Southwest GA late Friday\ninto Saturday.\n\nPOTENTIAL IMPACTS\n-----------------\n\n* FLOODING RAIN:\nProtect against life-threatening rainfall flooding having possible\nextensive impacts across the Florida Panhandle, western Big Bend, SE\nAlabama, and southwest Georgia.\nPotential impacts include:\n    - Major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues.\n    - Rivers and tributaries may rapidly overflow their banks in \n      multiple places. Small streams, creeks, and ditches may become \n      dangerous rivers. Flood control systems and barriers may become \n      stressed.\n    - Flood waters can enter many structures within multiple \n      communities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or washed \n      away. Many places where flood waters may cover escape routes. \n      Streets and parking lots become rivers of moving water with \n      underpasses submerged. Driving conditions become dangerous. \n      Many road and bridge closures with some weakened or washed out.\n\nProtect against dangerous rainfall flooding having possible limited \nto significant impacts elsewhere across the area.\n\n* SURGE:\nProtect against life-threatening surge having possible extensive \nimpacts across the coastal Florida Panhandle and Big Bend. Potential \nimpacts in this area include:\n    - Large areas of deep inundation with storm surge flooding \n      accentuated by battering waves. Structural damage to buildings, \n      with several washing away. Damage compounded by floating \n      debris. Locations may be uninhabitable for an extended period.\n    - Large sections of near-shore escape routes and secondary roads \n      washed out or severely flooded. Flood control systems and \n      barriers may become stressed.\n    - Severe beach erosion with significant dune loss.\n    - Major damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks, and piers. Many \n      small craft broken away from moorings, especially in \n      unprotected anchorages with some lifted onshore and stranded.\n\nElsewhere across eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend, \nsoutheastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia, little to no impact is \nanticipated.\n\n* TORNADOES:\nProtect against a dangerous tornado event having possible significant\nimpacts across the area. Potential impacts include:\n    - The occurrence of scattered tornadoes can hinder the execution \n      of emergency plans during tropical events.\n    - Several places may experience tornado damage with a few spots \n      of considerable damage, power loss, and communications failures.\n    - Locations could realize roofs torn off frame houses, mobile \n      homes demolished, boxcars overturned, large trees snapped or \n      uprooted, vehicles tumbled, and small boats tossed about. \n      Dangerous projectiles can add to the toll.\n\nProtect against a tornado event having possible limited impacts \nacross the extreme southeast Florida Big Bend.\n\n* WIND:\nProtect against dangerous wind having possible significant impacts\nacross the Florida Panhandle.\nPotential impacts in this area include:\n    - Some damage to roofing and siding materials, along with damage \n      to porches, awnings, carports, and sheds. A few buildings \n      experiencing window, door, and garage door failures. Mobile \n      homes damaged, especially if unanchored. Unsecured lightweight \n      objects become dangerous projectiles.\n    - Several large trees snapped or uprooted, but with greater \n      numbers in places where trees are shallow rooted. Several \n      fences and roadway signs blown over.\n    - Some roads impassable from large debris, and more within urban \n      or heavily wooded places. A few bridges, causeways, and access \n      routes impassable.\n    - Scattered power and communications outages, but more prevalent \n      in areas with above ground lines.\n\nAlso, protect against hazardous wind having possible limited impacts \nacross the western Big Bend, and portions of Southwest Georgia.\n\nPRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS\n----------------------------------\n\n* EVACUATIONS:\nFollow the advice of local officials\n\n\n* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:\n Now is the time to complete all preparations to protect life and \nproperty in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in a \nsafe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding.\n\nIf you are relocating to safe shelter, leave as early as possible. \nAllow extra time to reach your destination. Many roads and bridges \nwill be closed once strong winds arrive. Check the latest weather \nforecast before departing and drive with caution.\n\nIf heading to a community shelter, become familiar with the shelter \nrules before arrival, especially if you have special needs or have \npets. Take essential items with you from your Emergency Supplies Kit.\n\nFailure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of \nlife. Always heed the advice of local officials and comply with any \norders that are issued. Remember, during the storm 9 1 1 Emergency \nServices may not be able to immediately respond if conditions are \nunsafe. This should be a big factor in your decision making.\n\nKeep cell phones well charged. Cell phone chargers for automobiles \ncan be helpful, but be aware of your risk for deadly carbon monoxide \npoisoning if your car is left idling in a garage or other poorly \nventilated area.\n\nIf you are a visitor, be sure to know the name of the city in which \nyou are staying and the name of the county in which it resides. \nListen for these locations in local news updates. Pay attention for \ninstructions from local authorities.\n\nStorm surge is the leading killer associated with tropical storms and \nhurricanes! Make sure you are in a safe area away from the surge \nzone. Even if you are not in a surge-prone area, you could find \nyourself cutoff by flood waters during and after the storm. Heed \nevacuation orders issued by the local authorities.\n\nRapidly rising flood waters are deadly. If you are in a flood-prone \narea, consider moving to higher ground. Never drive through a flooded \nroadway. Remember, turn around don't drown!\n\nIf a Tornado Warning is issued for your area, be ready to shelter \nquickly, preferably away from windows and in an interior room not \nprone to flooding. If driving, scan the roadside for quick shelter \noptions.\n\nIf in a place that is vulnerable to high wind, such as near large \ntrees, a manufactured home, upper floors of a high-rise building, or \non a boat, consider moving to a safer shelter before the onset of \nstrong winds or flooding.\n\nClosely monitor weather.gov, NOAA Weather radio or local news outlets \nfor official storm information. Be ready to adapt to possible changes \nto the forecast. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather \nwarnings.\n\n\n* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:\n- For information on appropriate preparations see ready.gov\n- For additional disaster preparedness information see redcross.org\n\nNEXT UPDATE\n-----------\n\nThe next local statement will be issued by the National Weather \nService in Tallahassee FL around 5 PM EDT, or sooner if conditions \nwarrant.\n\n"}