While Hurricane Helene aimed for the Panhandle with catastrophic weather, parts of the Tampa Bay region were already experiencing flooding associated with storm surge Thursday morning.
As of 9 a.m., there were reports of neighborhood flooding in Treasure Island, Gulfport and Shore Acres in Pinellas County. The National Hurricane Center reports additional coastal flooding down to Southwest Florida.
This is with Helene still more than 300 miles southwest of Tampa Bay.
Coastal waters were forecast to rise 5 to 8 feet above normal from Pasco to Charlotte counties. High tide is in the afternoon, so that’s when the storm surge is expected to be the worst.
BLOG: Live updates on Hurricane Helene
“The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded,” the hurricane center said.
At 8 a.m., the hurricane center upgraded the storm to Category 2, with 100 mph winds around the center. It’s picking up strength as it moves at 12 mph toward the Big Bend region, where landfall is expected as at least a Category 3 storm.
But this is a WIDE storm. Tropical storm winds extend hundreds of miles from the center. Rain bands with severe weather will cross the state today and Friday. As Helene races north in the Gulf, conditions will quickly deteriorate on the Florida peninsula to the east.
In the Tampa Bay area, expect tropical storm winds by late morning, according to forecasters. That means sustained winds over 40 mph, with much stronger gusts.
Already Thursday morning, an observer in Sand Key reported sustained winds of 45 mph and a gust to 58 mph, according to the hurricane center. These winds will increase throughout the day, and it’s possible hurricane winds over 75 mph could come across coastal spots.
Hurricane Helene is now a category 2 storm and is located about 320 miles southwest of the Tampa Bay area.
— Treasure Island, FL (@TresIslandFL) September 26, 2024
(The video is of current flooding in the Sunset Beach neighborhood)
(1/4) pic.twitter.com/Q8Mt43zh37
Most of Florida is under a tornado watch through 8 tonight. A tornado warning was already issued on the east side of the state in Indian River and St. Lucie counties, until 9:30 a.m.
This is a fast-moving storm compared to Hurricane Debby, which inundated much of the region in August. So, rainfall amounts around Tampa Bay from Helene will run only 3 to 6 inches, although some pockets could collect 10 inches.
But, even after Helene pulls away, additional rounds of heavy rainfall are expected this weekend, the hurricane center said.
On Friday, a frontal boundary is due in Central Florida that will stall over the state and linger for a few days. Amid a southwest flow, numerous scattered storms will develop over the weekend, aided by Helene’s ascent and moisture along the front.
This setup could make it more difficult for the water to quickly drain, the hurricane center said. Additional rainfall also has the potential to increase flooding concerns.
