If you live anywhere near the water in Tampa, Apollo Beach, or even parts of Town 'n' Country, you've probably stared at that colorful map on the Hillsborough County website more than once. You know the one. It’s a patchwork of blues, yellows, and oranges that basically tells you how much trouble you’re in when the Gulf starts acting up. But for those in the red—the Hillsborough County Zone A evacuation area—that map isn't just a suggestion. It’s a deadline.
Most people think they have time. They see a storm brewing in the Caribbean and figure they’ll wait for the local news to scream before they pack a bag. That’s a mistake. Zone A is the first to go for a reason. It’s not just about being "near" the beach; it’s about the terrifying reality of storm surge.
Hillsborough County uses these zones based on ground elevation and the potential for flooding from the sea, not just rainfall. Zone A is the most vulnerable. It includes the coastal areas, yes, but it also snakes deep into the low-lying regions along the Alafia and Hillsborough rivers. If a Category 1 hurricane hits, or even a particularly nasty tropical storm with the right wind direction, Zone A is where the water goes first.
What the Hillsborough County Zone A Evacuation Actually Means for You
Honestly, the terminology is what trips people up. When the county calls for a Hillsborough County Zone A evacuation, they aren't saying "be careful." They are saying that the infrastructure you rely on—electricity, sewage, and emergency services—might stop existing in your neighborhood for a while.
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Once those winds hit a certain threshold, those big yellow fire trucks aren't coming for you. They can’t. The high profile of the vehicles makes them essentially sails in 45-plus mph winds. You're on your own.
It’s about the surge, not the wind
People obsess over wind speeds. "Oh, it's only a Category 2," they say. Forget the wind for a second. The real killer in Hillsborough is the geography of Tampa Bay. The bay is basically a giant funnel. If a storm hits just north of the mouth of the bay, all that Gulf water gets pushed right into the shallow basin. There’s nowhere for it to go but into the living rooms of homes in Zone A.
We saw this with Hurricane Ian and again with Idalia and Helene. Even when the storm stayed offshore, the "tail" of the hurricane pushed water into the bay. In Zone A, a few inches of surge can quickly become five or six feet. At that point, your front door isn't a barrier; it's a structural liability.
Finding your specific spot
Don't guess. Don't assume that because your neighbor across the street is in Zone B, you are too. The lines are surprisingly precise. You can find your specific status by using the Hillsborough County Disaster Preparedness Maps.
Simply typing your address into the HCFLGov shift tool is the only way to be 100% sure. Property lines often bisect these zones. It’s entirely possible for your backyard to be in Zone A while your house sits in B, or vice versa. If any part of your habitable structure is in the red, you need to move when that call comes.
Why People Stay (and Why They Shouldn't)
We’ve all heard the excuses. "I’ve been here thirty years and it’s never flooded." That’s great luck, but it’s terrible science. The bathymetry of Tampa Bay makes it one of the most vulnerable spots in the entire country for storm surge.
Some stay because they’re worried about looting. Others stay because they have pets and don't think shelters will take them.
Let's debunk that right now: Hillsborough County has pet-friendly shelters. You just have to know which ones they are ahead of time. Usually, schools like Shields Middle School or Burnett Middle School are designated as pet-friendly, but this changes year to year based on staffing and damage.
The "Stuck in Traffic" Fear
This is the big one. People remember the nightmare of Hurricane Irma when the I-75 and I-4 corridors turned into parking lots. They think, "If I leave, I’ll just be stuck on the highway when the storm hits."
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Here is the secret to a Hillsborough County Zone A evacuation: You don't have to drive to Georgia. You don't even have to leave the county. You just have to get out of the flood zone. Often, "evacuating" means driving five miles inland to a friend's house in Zone E or staying in a hotel in Brandon. You're looking for elevation, not distance.
The Logistics of Getting Out
When the emergency management directors—currently led by folks who have seen the worst of it—issue the order, the clock starts.
- The "Go-Bag" Reality: You don't need your whole life. You need your papers (insurance, IDs), your meds, and enough water to keep you from losing your mind for three days.
- Shutting it Down: Turn off your main water valve. If the pipes burst because of a surge, you don't want your house filling up from the inside out too.
- The Power Grid: If you're in Zone A, TECO (Tampa Electric) might proactively cut power to certain grids to prevent fires and equipment damage from salt water. Don't wait for the lights to flicker to decide to leave.
What about the bridges?
This is a huge factor for Hillsborough residents. The Howard Frankland, Gandy, and Courtney Campbell Causeway will close. The Florida Highway Patrol shuts them down when sustained winds reach 40 mph. If you live in South Tampa and your "plan" is to go to a relative's house in Pinellas, you might find yourself trapped if you wait too long.
The bridges don't just "feel" dangerous; they become structurally precarious for high-profile vehicles and prone to washouts at the approaches. Once they close, Zone A becomes an island in more ways than one.
Misconceptions About Flood Insurance and Zones
A common myth is that "Zone A" is the same as the "Special Flood Hazard Area" (SFHA) on your FEMA insurance maps.
They are related, but they aren't the same.
- FEMA Zones (like Zone AE or VE) are for insurance rating. They determine how much you pay every year to the National Flood Insurance Program.
- Evacuation Zones (A through E) are for life safety. They are based on hurricane surge potential.
You might not be required to have flood insurance by your bank, but you could still be in a Hillsborough County Zone A evacuation area. That is a dangerous gap in logic. If the county says your house could be underwater during a storm, believe them over your mortgage paperwork.
How to Handle the "Shadow Evacuation"
One of the biggest problems emergency planners face is the "shadow evacuation." This is when people in Zone C or D get scared and clog the roads, preventing the people in Zone A—who are actually in life-threatening danger—from getting out.
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If you aren't in the called zone, stay put.
By staying home in a safe zone, you keep the arteries open for the people in Apollo Beach and Davis Islands who literally have nowhere to go but up and out. It’s a community effort.
Practical Next Steps for Zone A Residents
Stop waiting for the tropical storm symbols to appear on the 5-day cone. If you are in Zone A, your preparation should happen in May, not September.
- Check the map again: Zones change as new LIDAR (laser elevation) data is processed. Just because you were Zone B in 2022 doesn't mean you aren't Zone A in 2026.
- Digitalize everything: Take photos of every room in your house and every serial number on your electronics. Upload them to the cloud. If Zone A floods, those photos are your only leverage with insurance adjusters.
- Sandbag locations: Hillsborough County opens several sites (like Edward Medard Conservation Park or the various service units) when a storm approaches. But honestly? Sandbags don't stop a three-foot surge. They stop a little bit of street flooding from entering your garage. Don't rely on them to save a Zone A home from the bay.
- The "Half-Tank" Rule: Keep your gas tank (or EV charge) at least half full from June to November. When the Zone A order drops, gas lines at the Wawa or Publix will be hours long.
The reality of living in paradise is that sometimes the paradise tries to reclaim the land. Hillsborough County is beautiful, but its coastline is unforgiving. If you're in Zone A, respect the water. It always wins the argument.
Log on to the HCFLGov.net portal, sign up for HCFL Alert (their mass notification system), and make sure your phone is set to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts. When that alert tone hits, and it says Zone A is moving, don't look at the sky. Look at the map. Then leave.