Hurricane Warning for Walton County: Isaias Storm Update for Owners, Tenants and Applicants

This update is based on the National Hurricane Center's 4:00 PM CDT advisory on Friday, October 9, 2026. NHC's next updates are at 7:00 PM CDT and 10:00 PM CDT. Forecasts change quickly, so please check the sources at the bottom for the latest.

What the National Hurricane Center is saying

Hurricane Isaias is a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph, moving north at 17 mph. At 4:00 PM it was about 90 miles south of Pensacola. NHC expects it to make landfall along the western Florida Panhandle this evening, then move across Alabama and weaken tonight, becoming post-tropical on Saturday. Conditions are deteriorating quickly in the warning areas, and NHC says residents should be seeking safe shelter.

Warnings in effect

  • A Hurricane Warning covers the coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida. That stretch includes Walton County and the rest of the Emerald Coast.
  • A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Suwannee River, Florida. NHC says this is a life-threatening situation and to promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials.
  • If the peak surge arrives at high tide, NHC says water could reach 6 to 9 feet above ground from the Alabama/Florida border to Grayton Beach, and 4 to 7 feet from Grayton Beach to Indian Pass.
  • Tropical-storm conditions are now occurring in the warning area, and hurricane conditions are expected this evening into early Saturday. Rain of 4 to 8 inches is expected across the Florida Panhandle through the weekend, with localized totals up to 15 inches. The tornado risk continues this evening and tonight, and it continues Saturday.

Evacuations and shelter

Walton County ordered a mandatory evacuation for Evacuation Zones A, B, and C, effective at noon Thursday, October 8. If you are in one of those zones and have not left, follow local officials' instructions and get to the safest place you can reach without driving through dangerous conditions. Walton County Emergency Management lists Freeport High School, 12615 Business Highway 331, Freeport, as its shelter (dogs and cats only for pets). Please confirm shelter status on AlertWalton.

  • Look up your zone at bit.ly/WCKnowYourZone (Walton County Emergency Management's lookup tool).
  • Sign up for AlertWalton, the county's free emergency alerts by text, email, or phone, at alertwalton.org.

Maintenance requests

Please do not go outside to check a property while the storm is here. For an emergency or danger to life, call 911. For a maintenance concern at a rental, such as storm damage or water coming in, call us at (850) 685-9898, or use the maintenance process on the Tenant Services page. During the storm we may not be able to respond right away. We will work through requests as soon as conditions are safe.

Reporting damage

  • Report damage at a managed property to us as soon as it is safe to do so. Call (850) 685-9898 or email jennifer@mimsre.com.
  • Take photos or video of the damage, and of your own belongings. Having them helps if you need to file an insurance claim.
  • Stay out of any unit that looks unsafe, and keep away from downed power lines and standing water.
  • As soon as it is safe, we will begin checking on the properties we manage and contact owners about any damage we find.

Rental showings, applications, and move-ins

Showings, inspections, and move-ins scheduled for this weekend may be rescheduled for safety. We will contact applicants and tenants directly about any change. You can see current availability on our rental listings, and you can call (850) 685-9898 with questions.

If you are staying where you are

  • Stay inside, in a small interior room away from windows and glass doors.
  • Do not go outside during the calm of the eye. The winds return quickly.
  • Keep your phone charged, and keep flashlights, drinking water, and medications within reach.
  • Never walk or drive through floodwater.
  • If the power goes out, run a generator only outdoors and away from windows and doors, never inside a home or garage.

Where to get the latest

Stay safe, and please check on each other.

Jennifer Anthony-Mims
Managing Owner, Mims Real Estate Advisors LLC
Principled Advice, Always
mimsre.com