Janelle Irwin Taylor
Pinellas County residents in Evacuation Zone A, and those who live in mobile homes, should evacuate by noon to avoid flooding from storm surge. After that point, residents may find themselves facing impassable roads and become stranded in their neighborhoods.
The National Weather Service continues to predict 5-8 feet of storm surge Thursday, as Hurricane Helene moves through the Gulf of Mexico en route to predicted landfall somewhere in the Big Bend area.
The expected storm surge in the Tampa Bay area is high enough to potentially inundate the first floor of homes, or wash away vehicles.
As of 9 a.m., officials were already reporting some street flooding on barrier islands and other coastal or low-lying areas. Flooding is expected to worsen throughout the day and overnight.
Officials caution residents hoping to ride out the storm in Zone A from high-rise condos or hotels, noting it is not a safe option because utility and electrical systems are often located on the ground floor and could pose a fire hazard when flooded, according to Pinellas County Emergency Management Director Cathie Perkins.
During a press briefing Thursday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and Perkins stressed that predicted storm surge would be higher than coastal areas experienced during Hurricane Idalia in 2023, which caused widespread flooding to some 1,500 homes. Gualtieri also noted that flooding limits emergency responders’ ability to reach those needing assistance.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is no longer transporting evacuees, with the final bus having run at 10 a.m. However, residents still looking to evacuate can get a free ride — up to $40 in value — from Uber by using the code “HELENERELIEF.” To use the discount, Uber users can go to the “account” section and select “wallet” or “payment.” From there, they can add the promo code at the bottom of the page.
Users may find difficulty hailing drivers though, as many have ceased operations due to weather conditions.
Pinellas County has several shelters available, including:
— Dunedin Middle School (special needs): 70 Patricia Ave. in Dunedin.
— Gibbs High School (pet friendly): 850 34th St. South in St. Pete.
— John Hopkins Middle School (special needs): 701 16th St. South in St. Pete.
— Largo High School (pet friendly): 410 Missouri Ave. in Largo.
— Lealman Innovation Academy (general shelter): 4900 28th St. North in Lealman.
— Palm Harbor University High School (pet friendly): 1900 Omaha St. in Palm Harbor.
— Palm Harbor University High School Bldg. 19 (special needs): 1900 Omaha St. in Palm Harbor.
Residents can check their evacuation zone on Pinellas County’s “know your zone” website.
Anyone in the state is encouraged to report suspected price gouging to the state’s price gouging hotline, which was activated along with the state of emergency impacting most of the state. Reports can be made at MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 866-9NO-SCAM.
Updates will be provided at disaster.pinellas.gov or via the Alert Pinellas app. Updates will also be shared on the county’s social media sites, including on Facebook and X, @PinellasGov for both.
