Alabama Declares Emergency for 40 Counties Ahead of Isaias
Governor Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency for 40 Alabama counties on Wednesday as Hurricane Isaias strengthened and forecasts pointed to possible landfall as early as Friday, according to the governor's newsroom release. The release says the declaration lets the state take needed steps ahead of the storm but does not spell out specific regulatory relief.
Ivey also ordered state offices and buildings in Baldwin, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Mobile counties to close beginning Friday, October 9, at noon Central time. At the request of local officials, the governor ordered a mandatory evacuation of non-resident tourists and visitors from parts of Baldwin County south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, including Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, and from Dauphin Island in Mobile County.
The governor's office warned of strong winds, heavy rain and possible tornadoes and urged residents to monitor local warnings. The release does not mention hours-of-service relief for trucks or price-gouging enforcement; those details would appear, if at all, in the formal emergency proclamation, which was not provided.
What's next
- 2026-10-09: State offices close at noon Central in the nine listed counties.
- Watch for the formal emergency proclamation text to confirm any trucking hours-of-service relief or price-gouging provisions.
All sources
- Governor Ivey Urges Alabamians to Prepare for Hurricane Isaias, Provides Update — Government site: Office of the Governor of Alabama, 2026-10-07
Related coverage
- As hurricane watch covers the Alabama coast, Governor Ivey issues state of emergency in 40 counties — Yellowhammer News (via Google News), 2026-10-07
