Find your Hillsborough evacuation zone (A to E), Tampa's sandbag sites, pet-friendly shelters and the tax-free storm supplies. Alerts: text TAMPAREADY to 888-777.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Facts come from the City of Tampa’s 2026 Hurricane Guide, Hillsborough County Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Revenue. This page is kept current through hurricane season, June 1 to Nov. 30.

Tampa sits on Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough River, and Hillsborough County orders evacuations by storm surge zone. The City of Tampa runs its own alerts and sandbag sites. Know your zone now, before a storm has a name.

Who to call

  • City of Tampa alerts: text TAMPAREADY to 888-777 (TAMPALISTA for Spanish), or sign up for Alert Tampa
  • Hillsborough County Emergency Management: 813-272-6600; zones, shelters and routes at HCFL.gov/StaySafe
  • Special needs shelter registration: 813-307-8063 (register well ahead; the city’s guide says it needs 30 days’ notice)
  • Power outages: TECO, 877-588-1010, or text OUT to 27079
  • Forecasts and warnings: National Weather Service Tampa Bay and the National Hurricane Center

This week

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue sent 25 search-and-rescue team members to the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 8 ahead of Hurricane Isaias, as part of a 75-member state task force that includes City of Tampa firefighters. By Saturday morning, the National Hurricane Center listed Isaias as a post-tropical cyclone over Alabama. The season runs through Nov. 30.

Know your zone

The city’s guide explains that an evacuation zone and a flood zone are different things. Flood zones are federal insurance maps. Evacuation zones show where storm surge could reach, and they decide who is told to leave. Look yours up at HCFL.gov/StaySafe.

Zone Potential tide height on the county map Who leaves
A Up to 11 feet Zone A, plus all mobile homes
B Up to 17 feet Zones A and B, plus all mobile homes
C Up to 22 feet Zones A to C, plus all mobile homes
D Up to 31 feet Zones A to D, plus all mobile homes
E Up to 38 feet Zones A to E, plus all mobile homes

Mobile and manufactured homes are treated as Zone A wherever they are in the county. If you are not in a zone that has been ordered out and you live in a sound building, the guide says sheltering in place is a practical option. If you do leave, it advises going “tens of miles instead of hundreds.”

Shelters

Hillsborough County opens shelters in public schools, and only as needed. Never go to a shelter until county officials announce it is open. From the city’s guide:

  • Shelters are a last resort; stay with friends or family or at a hotel outside the zone if you can.
  • There are no cots or blankets. Each person gets about 20 square feet. Bring bedding, medicine and food for special diets.
  • No alcohol, illegal drugs or weapons.

Pet-friendly shelters in the county’s list include Middleton High (4801 N. 22nd St.), Sickles High (7950 Gunn Highway), Steinbrenner High, Durant High, Barrington, Burnett and Shields middle schools and Turner Elementary. Bring proof of rabies vaccination and a license, a leash and a crate big enough for the animal to stand and turn around, and food and supplies. Owners care for their own pets, which are housed apart from people.

Special needs shelters are for people who depend on electricity for medical equipment, need oxygen or dialysis, or need help from medical staff. Register through the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County or call 813-307-8063. Bring a caregiver; each person gets about 60 square feet.

Sandbags

When a storm threatens, Tampa Parks and Recreation opens sandbag sites. Primary sites:

  • Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave.
  • Himes Avenue Sports Complex, 4411 S. Himes Ave.
  • Al Barnes Park, 2902 N. 32nd St.

Up to 10 sandbags per address, City of Tampa residents only; bring ID or proof of address. Pre-register at tampa.gov/sandbags to save time. Hours and extra sites are announced through Alert Tampa.

Tax-free storm supplies, all year

Florida no longer holds a hurricane sales tax holiday. Since Aug. 1, 2025, these are always exempt, according to the Department of Revenue’s tax notice:

  • AA, AAA, C, D, 6-volt and 9-volt batteries
  • Portable generators up to 10,000 running watts
  • Portable gas cans of 5 gallons or less
  • Waterproof tarps up to 1,000 square feet
  • Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
  • Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers

Build a kit and a plan

The city’s guide asks every household to keep a kit at home, at work and in the car, with water (one gallon per person per day for several days), at least three days of nonperishable food, prescription medicines, a battery or hand-crank radio, a NOAA weather radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit, cash, pet food and copies of important family documents. Never touch a downed power line.

What this means for you

  • Look up your evacuation zone today and write it down.
  • Sign up for Alert Tampa: shelter openings and sandbag hours go out there first.
  • Register for a special needs shelter long before a storm if anyone at home depends on power for medical equipment.
  • Buy batteries, a generator or a tarp any time; there is no sales tax to wait out.

Related: power outages, trash and storm debris and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my evacuation zone in Tampa?

Use Hillsborough County’s evacuation lookup at HCFL.gov/StaySafe. County zones run from A, the first to leave, to E. All mobile and manufactured homes count as Zone A.

Where can I get sandbags in Tampa?

When a storm threatens, the City of Tampa opens sandbag sites at Al Lopez Park, the Himes Avenue Sports Complex and Al Barnes Park. City residents can get up to 10 bags per address with ID or proof of address.

Is there a hurricane sales tax holiday in Florida?

Not anymore. Since Aug. 1, 2025, portable generators up to 10,000 watts, common batteries, tarps, gas cans and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are tax-free all year.

Which Hillsborough hurricane shelters take pets?

The county’s guide lists pet-friendly shelters at schools including Middleton High, Sickles High, Steinbrenner High, Durant High and several middle schools. Bring rabies proof, a crate and supplies, and go only when the county says a shelter is open.

When is hurricane season?

June 1 to Nov. 30.