Storm Surge Watch Issued for Coastal Gulf: Prepare for Life-Threatening Flooding

A Storm Surge Watch has been issued for the Coastal Gulf area, including Port Saint Joe and Cape San Blas, by the National Weather Service (NWS) Tallahassee, FL, effective today, October 7, 2026, at 2:09 PM EDT. Residents in these areas should prepare for life-threatening storm surge flooding of greater than 6 feet above ground, with a potential for 4-7 feet above ground inundation.

Evacuation preparations should be underway. Assemble disaster supplies and know your evacuation route. If evacuation orders are given for your area, you must leave. Failure to heed evacuation orders may result in the loss of life. The window of concern for storm surge is from Friday morning until Saturday morning.

In addition to storm surge, expect tropical storm force winds of 30-40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, with a potential for winds reaching 58-73 mph. Efforts to protect life and property should now be underway, and significant wind damage is possible. Act now to complete preparations before winds become hazardous. Additional rainfall of 4-8 inches is also forecast, with localized higher amounts, which could lead to moderate flooding.

For more information and updates, visit NWS Tallahassee at weather.gov/tallahassee, the Florida Division of Emergency Management at floridadisaster.org, and Gulf County Emergency Management at gulfcounty-fl.gov/county_government/emergency_management. This alert expires at 10:15 PM UTC today, October 7, 2026.