Prichard Curfew Orders Residents Home Overnight as Hurricane Isaias Hits the Coast

PRICHARD, Ala. — A Prichard curfew will keep residents off city streets overnight as Hurricane Isaias closes in on the Gulf Coast, with city leaders ordering everyone to stay home from 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, until 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10.

The City of Prichard announced the citywide general curfew Friday under Mayor Carletta Davis. City officials said the order is meant to protect residents, first responders and municipal workers while the storm moves through Mobile County, and to keep roads clear so emergency crews can do their jobs.

Residents are urged to remain inside their homes and avoid any unnecessary travel during curfew hours. According to the city, keeping people off the streets will allow emergency response teams and city personnel to move safely through affected areas, answer emergencies and begin assessing storm damage.

What the curfew means for residents

The curfew covers the entire city and runs for 11 hours, from 7 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. The hours line up with the overnight curfew the neighboring City of Mobile set for the same period, so residents on both sides of the city line face the same rules overnight.

Under the order, residents should:

• Be home before 7 p.m. Finish errands, fuel stops and any trips to stay with family or friends before the curfew begins.
• Stay indoors. The city is asking people to remain inside for the full curfew period, not just during the heaviest wind and rain.
• Avoid flooded roadways. City officials specifically warned residents not to drive or walk into floodwater.
• Stay informed. Follow official City of Prichard communication channels for updates on the storm, the curfew and recovery.

Curfews like this one are common tools for cities in the path of a major hurricane. They are not intended to punish residents but to reduce the number of people on dark, debris-covered streets during the hours when visibility is poorest and hazards such as fallen trees, downed power lines and standing water are hardest to see. Fewer cars on the road also means ambulances, fire trucks and utility crews can reach emergencies faster.

The city’s top storm concerns

Prichard officials listed four primary threats from Isaias:

• Storm surge
• Flash flooding
• Heavy rainfall
• Damaging winds and fallen trees

Prichard sits inland, directly north of the City of Mobile, but low-lying areas along the creeks and rivers that drain toward Mobile Bay can still take on water when a strong storm pushes surge northward and heavy rain falls at the same time. Fallen trees are a particular hazard in older neighborhoods with large, mature trees, where a single downed limb can block a street or pull down a power line.

Who is responding

The Prichard Police Department, Fire Department and Public Services Department are coordinating the city’s emergency response operations, according to the city, with the goal of protecting the community during the storm and supporting recovery once it passes.

Davis’s administration said it continues to monitor weather conditions and is coordinating with the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency, which leads countywide storm planning, shelter operations and communication with the National Weather Service.

Law enforcement in Prichard is also being handled in partnership with the county. Under a one-year contract approved earlier this month by the Prichard City Council and the Mobile County Commission, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office answers 911 calls in Prichard and handles major crimes, while the city’s police officers handle municipal ordinance enforcement, traffic issues and school crossings. Deputies have been responding to calls inside the city since June, and the agreement runs through September 2027.

How to get help

For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.

To report road hazards or other city-related problems caused by Hurricane Isaias, such as trees blocking streets, residents should call the city’s non-emergency line at 251-452-7841.

Downed power lines should always be treated as live. Stay well away from them, keep children and pets away, and report them to the utility. Do not try to move a tree or limb that is tangled in a line.

Where Isaias stands

Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane Friday morning with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. The Atlantic had not gone this deep into a season without a hurricane since 1905. The National Hurricane Center said “life-threatening storm surge and devastating winds” were likely along the coasts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Mobile County, which includes Prichard, is under a hurricane warning, and storm surge warnings cover both Mobile and Baldwin counties. The latest forecast Friday favored landfall Friday evening along the extreme western Florida Panhandle, with the most destructive sustained winds expected east of Mobile County. Even so, a storm of this size can bring strong gusts, heavy rain and flooding well away from its center, and conditions across the Mobile area were expected to deteriorate through the day Friday.

Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency Wednesday for 40 Alabama counties, including Mobile and Baldwin. “While we continue to monitor forecasts, we have to prepare now,” Ivey said.

Shelter and safety reminders

Mobile County opened public shelters Friday morning for residents who do not feel safe at home, including a general population shelter at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School, 5110 St. Stephens Road in Eight Mile, which is near Prichard. Residents should check with the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency for the latest shelter information before leaving home, and should not travel to a shelter once the curfew begins unless directed by emergency officials.

For people riding out the storm at home, standard hurricane safety guidance applies:

• Pick a safe room. Shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor that is not prone to flooding, away from windows and doors.
• Keep supplies close. Have water, nonperishable food, medications, flashlights, extra batteries and charged phones within reach.
• Run generators outside only. Portable generators must be kept outdoors and away from windows, doors and vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never run one in a garage, even with the door open.
• Turn around, don’t drown. A few inches of moving water can knock a person down, and about a foot can carry away a car. Roads can also wash out beneath floodwater.
• Wait for the all-clear. The calm of the eye or a lull in the wind does not mean the storm is over. Stay put until officials say it is safe.
• Check on neighbors by phone. Older residents and people with medical needs may need help, but the safest way to check on them during the curfew is by phone.

What comes next

The curfew is scheduled to end at 6 a.m. Saturday. Once Isaias moves out of the area, city crews and first responders are expected to begin assessing damage and clearing roads. Residents heading out Saturday morning should expect debris, blocked streets, traffic signals that may not be working and possible standing water, and should treat any intersection with a dark signal as a four-way stop.

The City of Prichard thanked residents for their cooperation and said it is asking everyone to work together to protect the community. Further announcements about the curfew, storm damage and city services will come through the city’s official communication channels.