If you live in Florida’s 14th Congressional District — especially the South Shore communities of Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Gibsonton, Sun City Center, and Riverview along the Alafia — the evacuation map you memorized before Helene and Milton is out of date. Here’s what officially changed, why, and what it means for your family’s plan.
What Changed in the 2026 Redraw
The county announced the new zones in late April/early May 2026. Three changes matter most:
- Zone A expanded inland along the entire coastline and the Alafia River corridor — more of Apollo Beach and other waterfront-adjacent areas now evacuate first.
- Zone C grew as some parcels moved up from Zone D.
- New Zone E areas were created in places that had never carried an evacuation zone at all — including inland Apollo Beach south of Big Bend Road.
And the standing rule that matters enormously in Wimauma, Ruskin, and Gibsonton: all manufactured and mobile homes remain Zone A regardless of location — inland ones included — because the risk driving that rule is wind and structure, not just surge.
Why the County Redrew the Map
The official reason is data, not drama: NOAA refreshes its storm-surge modeling every three to five years, and the county’s geospatial team reviewed the new model parcel by parcel. Local reporting notes the changes are not directly a product of the 2024 storms — though Helene and Milton underscored the stakes, and emergency managers have said the county’s goal is to issue evacuation orders earlier when surge predictions reach dangerous levels, reducing last-minute gridlock on US-301 and I-75.
Evacuation Zones vs. Flood Zones — Not the Same Thing
Two systems, confusingly similar letters:
- Evacuation zones (A–E, county) come from National Hurricane Center storm-surge modeling and tell you when officials may order you to leave. Zone A evacuates first and most often.
- FEMA flood zones (X, AE, and others) are federal insurance maps that describe year-round flood risk and drive flood-insurance and building requirements.
You can live in a high-risk FEMA flood zone but a low evacuation zone — or the reverse. Hillsborough issued mandatory Zone A evacuation orders ahead of Helene in September 2024; your FEMA flood zone had nothing to do with who was ordered out.
Check Your Address — Don’t Assume
Zone lines split subdivisions block by block, especially in the South Shore. The only reliable answer for the new map is the county’s official Hurricane Evacuation Assessment Tool at HCFL.gov/HEAT — search by address, get your zone and nearest shelter information. Much of Brandon, Valrico, and FishHawk has historically sat outside the evacuation zones entirely, but with this year’s changes the honest advice is the same for everyone: look up your exact address.
Hurricane season runs June 1 – November 30. NOAA forecasts a below-normal 2026 season — but forecasts don’t evacuate houses; a single landfall defines a season. When a storm threatens, the county activates sandbag sites (10 bags per vehicle with Hillsborough proof of residency — E.G. Simmons Conservation Park in Ruskin is a regular site) and publishes its shelter list with pet-friendly locations flagged and free HART buses to shelters. The full federal-policy side of storm recovery — FEMA reform and the NFIP — is in our hurricane preparedness and FEMA reform guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Hillsborough County evacuation zones change in 2026?
Yes. The county redrew its zones ahead of the 2026 season based on NOAA’s updated storm-surge modeling: Zone A expanded inland along the coast and the Alafia River, some parcels moved from Zone D to Zone C, and previously unzoned areas — including inland Apollo Beach south of Big Bend Road — became Zone E.
How do I find my evacuation zone in Hillsborough County?
Use the county’s official Hurricane Evacuation Assessment Tool at HCFL.gov/HEAT — search your address to see your zone under the new map and nearby shelter information. Zones are parcel-level, so check your exact address rather than relying on your neighborhood’s old zone.
What is the difference between an evacuation zone and a flood zone?
Evacuation zones (A–E) are county designations based on storm-surge modeling that determine evacuation orders. FEMA flood zones are federal insurance maps describing year-round flood risk that drive flood-insurance and building rules. A home can rank high in one system and low in the other.
What evacuation zone are mobile homes in?
All manufactured and mobile homes in Hillsborough County are treated as Zone A regardless of location — even far inland — so they are included in the first evacuation orders of any storm.
When is hurricane season 2026?
June 1 through November 30, 2026. NOAA’s outlook calls for a below-normal season, but emergency managers stress that one landfall is all it takes — know your zone before a storm is on the map.
Know Your Zone Before You Need It
Ten minutes today — check HCFL.gov/HEAT, write down your zone, pick your route and shelter plan — beats an hour of gridlock in a warning cone. For the federal half of the story, read what Congress owes storm country, and see where John Peters stands.