Our Biggest Challenge During Severe Weather

Many of our customers’ clients begin preparing for inclement weather well in advance. For example, your client may decide they can operate until 3 PM because their employees—who typically live nearby—can get home safely before the storm arrives.

While this plan makes sense for their team, it doesn’t always align with logistics operations. Our work often begins when your client’s day ends.

If your client is two hours away and the storm is expected at 5 PM, we would need to pick up no later than 1 PM to ensure a safe return. The key takeaway: if same-day pickup is a priority, the drive time to and from your location must be factored into scheduling.

UPDATED 10/08/26 4:28 PM

UPDATED 10/08/26 2:45PM

WIND IS THE WORD

Hurricane Isaias: Wind Is the Big Concern as Bridges Could Close as Early as Noon Friday

Wind, not rain, is the main threat from Hurricane Isaias along the Gulf Coast, and bridges could close as early as noon Friday, Oct. 9. If you need to cross a bridge or the bay on Friday, plan to do it in the morning.

As of the National Hurricane Center‘s 10 a.m. Thursday update, Isaias was a Category 1 hurricane in the central Gulf with top sustained winds near 85 mph. Its strongest winds are expected to reach the coast on Friday, from Mobile east through Pensacola and Destin.

Who is most likely to see strong winds

Pensacola has the highest chance of tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph or more) on land, at 84%. Milton, Destin, Mobile and Panama City all sit above 50%.

The chances drop quickly inland. Montgomery is at 21%, Dothan at 12% and Birmingham at 9%. Even a lower chance means gusty winds could still bring down limbs and knock out power, so it is worth preparing.

These numbers come from the Hurricane Center’s wind speed probabilities and are updated about every six hours.

Why bridges close before the storm arrives

Bridges could close as early as noon Friday, well before the worst of the storm. Wind is stronger high over open water, and crosswinds can push trucks, vans and trailers out of their lane. Closing early keeps drivers from getting caught midspan when the gusts pick up.

Officials on Alabama’s beaches are telling people not to count on bridges staying open past noon Friday, and every bridge there will close once sustained winds reach 45 mph. Orange Beach is giving the same warning to visitors and residents.

The same 45 mph rule applies in the Florida Panhandle. In Franklin County, bridges will close to all traffic once sustained winds hit that mark, as mandatory evacuations take effect from Walton County to Apalachicola.

Those winds may arrive early. ABC News reports tropical-storm-force winds could reach the New Orleans-to-Pensacola stretch Friday morning, with landfall expected near Pensacola late Friday night.

Once bridges close, getting on or off the islands and beaches may not be possible until winds drop and crews inspect the spans. Do not count on a bridge reopening Friday night. Pensacola International Airport is also closing its terminal at 10 a.m. Friday.