Storm facts, as of October 9, 2026, 4:55 PM CDT
- The National Hurricane Center's 4 PM CDT advisory on October 9 placed Isaias about 90 miles south of Pensacola with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, moving north at 17 mph, and forecast landfall on the western Florida Panhandle coast that evening, then a track across Alabama into the Tennessee Valley. National Hurricane Center, Public Advisory 13.
- That advisory carried a hurricane warning from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay and Gulf county line in Florida, and tropical storm warnings to the west into Louisiana and to the east to the Aucilla River. National Hurricane Center, Public Advisory 13.
- The same 4 PM CDT advisory said the center was expected to move across Alabama and into the Tennessee Valley Saturday and Sunday, and that hurricane-force winds were expected to spread inland as far as 100 miles from the coast into southern Alabama. National Hurricane Center, Public Advisory 13.
- It forecast rainfall of 4 to 8 inches across southern Alabama from Friday through the weekend, said flash, urban, and river flooding was possible across the region, and said the tornado threat would continue Saturday across parts of eastern Alabama. National Hurricane Center, Public Advisory 13.
- Forecast Advisory 13, issued at 2100 UTC on October 9, listed the next forecast points as inland, with maximum sustained winds of 75 knots at 0600 UTC on October 10, then post-tropical and inland by 1800 UTC that day. National Hurricane Center, Forecast Advisory 13.
- Alabama: Governor Ivey declared a state of emergency for 40 counties on October 7, with a mandatory evacuation of non-residents and visitors in Baldwin County south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and on Dauphin Island. Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey.
- Alabama: Dallas County is among the 40 counties named in Governor Ivey's October 7 state of emergency proclamation. State of Alabama, Proclamation by the Governor, October 7, 2026.
For current warnings and orders in Dallas County, follow the National Hurricane Center and Dallas County Emergency Management - Homeland Security.
If Isaias reaches Selma
Selma is inland, and the advisory lines above are what the National Hurricane Center said about Alabama as a whole. If wind brings a tree or limbs down on a roof, lifts shingles, or lets rain in anywhere in Selma and unincorporated Dallas County, the record that helps most is the one made before the tree is cut off the roof and the tarp goes on. A drone flight records the roof from overhead without anyone climbing it, and it records where trees and limbs came to rest before they are hauled to the curb.
Safety first
Do not go back, fly a drone, or climb a roof in Selma until local officials say it is safe. Stay off the roof: a drone flight is how the roof gets documented without anyone on it. Do what keeps people safe and prevents more damage, even if that means the tarp goes on before anyone flies.
Airspace around Selma
The FAA decides who may fly where. Here is what FAA airspace data and orders show in and around Dallas County, checked October 9, 2026:
- Craig Field Airport (Class D airspace from the surface to 3,000 feet MSL within 4.3 miles of the airport, with extensions to the southeast and northwest, when in effect by NOTAM). Controlled airspace from the ground up over parts of Selma, including downtown and Selmont, and the area around the airport southeast of town, so a Part 107 pilot needs FAA airspace authorization before a flight there. FAA data do not show LAANC for Craig Field, and every facility map square around it is set at 0 feet, so each request goes to the FAA through FAADroneZone and needs further coordination. The pilot checks the airspace hours on the FAA chart supplement and NOTAMs for each address. faa.gov
- North Selma and the rest of Dallas County outside the Craig Field Class D (an area where FAA data show no controlled airspace near the ground, no restricted area, and no national security drone restriction at the points checked). Military operations areas over parts of the county start above the 400-foot drone limit and do not bar drones, but military aircraft may fly low above them. The pilot still checks the exact address, and after the storm the FAA may put a temporary flight restriction over the area. FAA data
For every address in Selma, the pilot checks the airspace and gets FAA authorization where it is required. The job review confirms whether and when a flight can happen. See the FAA rules for drone roof inspections.
FAA flight restrictions after the storm
The FAA issues temporary flight restrictions for natural disasters such as hurricanes. They are published as NOTAMs and keep aircraft, including drones, from flying in an area without permission for a limited time. Active restrictions over Alabama are on the FAA’s TFR list. To fly in one, a pilot coordinates with the controlling agency named in it, and approval is the FAA’s decision. A restricted area can add time to a shoot, and some flights wait until a restriction lifts.
Local drone rules
- City of Selma. Selma has no drone ordinance. An old city aviation section sets a 1,000-foot minimum altitude for aircraft over the city except when taking off or landing. It does not mention drones, and the city has not said whether it applies to them, so the pilot checks with the city before a flight in Selma. In its words: “It shall be unlawful for any aircraft to be operated or flown in or about the city at an altitude of less than one thousand (1,000) feet above the ground” library.municode.com
We did not find a local drone takeoff or landing rule on the official pages of unincorporated Dallas County. Check with the city or county before launching from a park or beach. Pilots check local rules for takeoff and landing sites as well as FAA rules.
Roof permits and tarping
If it is safe, document the roof before the tarp goes on, then document the tarp once it is on. Before repairs, check what the building department requires.
- City of Selma. Selma's Building Inspector says no one may start construction without a permit from that office, which inspects alteration and repair jobs. The permit packet includes a debris form in which the owner or contractor agrees to haul off repair debris, roofing and shingles included. We did not find storm-specific roofing guidance. selma-al.gov
We did not find a storm roof repair rule on the official pages of unincorporated Dallas County. Check with the city or county building department before repairs.
Storm debris pickup
Once debris goes to the curb or is hauled off, the record of where it landed is gone. If it is safe to leave it, fly first, then move it.
- City of Selma. Earlier guidance: the city's disaster information page is from the January 2023 Selma tornado, not Isaias, and we did not find an Isaias debris notice. Standing city code puts trash at the curb in front of the home on collection days, with limbs and brush cut to no more than 10 feet long and 8 inches across, and says anyone hired to repair or roof a building hauls away the roofing and construction debris. selma-al.gov
We did not find a storm debris page for unincorporated Dallas County. Check with the city or county for pickup rules.
What gets documented
- The roof. Missing and creased shingles and lifted membrane, from straight overhead.
- The exterior and site. Every side of the structure, plus fences, outbuildings, and detached structures.
- Wind versus water. Water lines, high-water marks, flood extent, and where debris came to rest.
- Trees and impact. A tree on a structure before removal, and downed trees across the yard, fences, and vehicles.
- Emergency work. Tarps and board-up, documented once they are on.
The gallery comes as a permalink you can send to your adjuster and to every contractor you ask for a bid. Adjusters with many addresses in Dallas County can order CAT or volume dispatch.
How ordering works
- Tell us what happened, the address, and a preferred date, online or at (214) 493-1515.
- We review the job and send a quote. That review confirms whether and when a pilot can fly the property. Nothing is charged when you order.
- An FAA Part 107 pilot flies the shot list when it is safe and allowed. Flights need safe weather, generally winds under 20 mph and no precipitation.
- You get the gallery by link. The delivery timeline comes with the quote.
Housing and trailers in Selma
lossmap documents the property. If the home is not livable, our parent company covers temporary housing on your lot in Selma, including the local rules for an RV on residential property. Crews and families who need a travel trailer can see trailers for crews and families in Selma. For the statewide picture, see temporary housing in Alabama.
Other inland Alabama areas
Drone documentation in Brewton and Atmore · Drone documentation in Andalusia · Drone documentation in Dothan and Enterprise · Drone documentation in Montgomery · Drone documentation in Tuscaloosa · Drone documentation in Birmingham · All Hurricane Isaias areas
What lossmap is not
lossmap provides aerial imagery and visual documentation. It is not a licensed roof inspection, an engineering report, or an insurance determination. Whether a carrier accepts the imagery is the carrier’s decision: see do insurers accept drone roof photos.
Sources
Official pages. Storm facts checked October 9, 2026, 4:55 PM CDT; local facts checked October 9, 2026.
- National Hurricane Center, Public Advisory 13
- National Hurricane Center, Forecast Advisory 13
- Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
- State of Alabama, Proclamation by the Governor, October 7, 2026
- FAA, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
- FAA, Emergency Situations (Special Governmental Interest process)
- FAA, TFR list
- Dallas County Emergency Management - Homeland Security
- FAA Order JO 7400.11M, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points
- FAA open data, Class Airspace
- City of Selma, drone rule (library.municode.com)
- City of Selma, permits (selma-al.gov)
- City of Selma, debris (selma-al.gov)
