Visit Pensacola Statement on Hurricane Michael
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Media Contact: Nicole Stacey |
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Pensacola, Fla.(Tuesday, Oct. 9) – In light of Hurricane Michael, Visit Pensacola is preparing and taking all precautions as the storm grows near for its staff, the community and visitors in the area. Below is important information regarding Hurricane Michael.
- Escambia County Emergency Management is responsible for coordinating mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts for emergency events in Escambia County. All official updates will be communicated through them. Residents and visitors are encouraged to monitor local media for the most up-to-date forecasts from today through Thursday. You can check official updates here.
- Escambia County Emergency Management has ordered evacuations for Escambia County Zone A which consists of Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key and low-lying areas beginning at noon. While Florida does not have mandatory evacuations, first responders will likely not be able to assist people of the two barrier islands starting at noon.
- For information on evacuation zones, routes, and shelter locations, click here. The Pensacola Bay Center will be opening at 1 p.m. today as a general shelter and special needs shelter. Molino Park Elementary School will be opening today as a pet shelter. The Escambia County Equestrian Center will be opening at 1 p.m. today for large animal sheltering.
- For visitors in the area looking for accommodations, click here.
- The Pensacola International Airport will be CLOSED and cease all operations starting at 12:01 AM on Wednesday, October 10 until further updates are provided. Please check directly with your airline regarding all flight information.
- Bridge closures are weather dependent. In the event that there are sustained winds of 39 mph or higher or that standing water makes a road impassable or making a bridge unsafe, the specific location will be announced as soon as possible. Check for Escambia County road closures 24/7 at www.myescambia.com/roadissuesmap. City of Pensacola road closures can be viewed here. For the latest closures and updates, travelers can access Florida's 511 service from cell phones, landlines and online at www.FL511.com.
- A high risk of rip currents and high surf advisory are in effect for the northern Gulf Coast through at least Thursday. Red flags are flying on Pensacola Beach and are expected through Thursday. Red flags represent high surf and/or dangerous currents, and there is no swimming or wading in the Gulf of Mexico in red flag conditions. Only experienced surfers with a surfboard and leash are allowed to enter the Gulf. For surf and flag conditions, click here.
- The Pensacola Visitor’s Information Center and the Perdido Key Visitor Information Center will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. Visit Pensacola will continue to monitor conditions and will be open normal hours on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
About Visit Pensacola
Visit Pensacola is the destination management organization for Escambia County which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. With over 450 years of rich history and 18 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration and communication.