Hurricane season starts June 1st and runs through the end of November.  Regional evacuation routes and zip zone maps are published annually by the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) to assist in evacuation should the need arise.

Zip zone maps are a regional concept that allows coastal areas more time to evacuate.  For example, residents of Galveston that will be more adversely affected by a storm need to evacuate sooner than the residents in Houston.  The extra time allows for clear roads through Houston and helps prevent Galveston County residents from getting stuck on the road by traffic jams in Houston.

There are four zones designated on the regional zip zone map: coastal, Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C.  HGAC evacuation and zip zone maps are available for download at:  http://www.hcoem.org/HCMap.aspx?P=Evacuation