How does Broward County define evacuation areas?
Broward County organizes evacuations into two plans, summarized in the list below. Because Plan B adds every resident east of U.S. 1 (Federal Highway), it covers a wider area than Plan A, and mobile home residents must evacuate under both plans.
The county warns that not being told to evacuate does not mean you are out of danger, because hurricane winds can be very destructive, and says shelters open about four hours after an evacuation is ordered. The county hotline is 311 (954-831-4000).
- Plan A (typically a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, storm surge of 4 to 7 feet): all mobile home residents, residents beside tidal water and in low-lying areas, and residents east of the Intracoastal Waterway should evacuate.
- Plan B (typically Category 3 or higher, storm surge of 7 to 11 feet): everyone covered by Plan A plus all residents east of U.S. 1 (Federal Highway).[1]
How do Palm Beach County's lettered zones work?
Palm Beach County's evacuation zone map, dated May 28, 2020, shows Zones A, B, C, D, E and L. For Zone A, the county's guidance is to evacuate if you live in a manufactured or mobile home, have substandard construction, or live in a flood-prone area. Orders name specific zones; for example, the October 9, 2024 Hurricane Milton order designated Evacuation Zone A as the affected area.
To look up an address, use the county's Hurricane Evacuation Zone Look-up Tool and type the address without punctuation (for example, "20 S Military Trail"). The county's Neighborhood Information Dashboard also shows the evacuation zone and flood zone for Palm Beach County addresses, and AlertPBC sends emergency notifications by phone call, text or email.[3][4][2][6]
Is an evacuation zone the same as a flood zone?
No. Palm Beach County defines evacuation zones as areas that may be inundated by storm surge, while flood zones reflect the risk of flooding from causes such as poor drainage, sheet flow or coastal tides. The county offers a separate look-up tool for each, so check both before you buy.
Statewide, the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Know Your Zone map lets you enter an address to see whether it falls in a colored evacuation zone. The state notes that Zone A is generally the most vulnerable and most likely to be evacuated first, that not every zone is ordered to evacuate in every storm, and that you should follow the orders of local officials.[2][5]
Key takeaways
- Palm Beach County uses lettered evacuation zones (A through E, plus L) with an online address look-up tool.
- Broward County uses Plan A (east of the Intracoastal, plus mobile homes and low-lying areas) and Plan B (which adds everyone east of U.S. 1).
- Mobile and manufactured home residents are told to evacuate under Broward's plans and in Palm Beach County's Zone A.
- Evacuation zones are based on storm surge and are different from flood zones, so check both for any property.
- The state's Know Your Zone map lets you check an address anywhere in Florida.
Sources
- [1]Broward County — Hurricane Evacuation Information
- [2]Palm Beach County Emergency Management — Know Your Zone
- [3]Palm Beach County Emergency Management — Evacuation Zones map (PDF)
- [4]Palm Beach County Emergency Management — Hurricane
- [5]Florida Division of Emergency Management — Know Your Zone
- [6]Palm Beach County — Neighborhood Information Dashboard
Reviewed October 11, 2026. General real-estate information for Florida, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice. Laws, rates and deadlines change — confirm property-specific facts with the agency cited, a Florida real-estate attorney, CPA or licensed insurance agent.