The most dangerous storm surge is going to hit after the hurricane-force winds have passed.

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The most dangerous storm surge is going to hit after the hurricane-force winds have passed.

Aug. 29, 8:45 p.m.

Avoid going on to the barrier islands until it's announced that conditions are safe.

With some of the highest tides of the month expected to happen throughout the day Wednesday, Pinellas County Emergency Management is warning that storm surge flooding could be worse in many low-lying areas and could continue after winds from Hurricane Idalia have subsided.

The National Hurricane Center is projecting storm surge of 4 to 7 feet in Pinellas County, which prompted the Zone A evacuation that began on Monday evening. Due to the timing of the storm interacting with varying times of high tides, some areas could see waves bringing floodwaters 1 to 2 feet higher than that.

In anticipation of widespread coastal flooding, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Florida National Guard and all municipal fire and police departments have reviewed positioning and usage of water rescue teams prior to the storm making landfall.

The storm surge impacts are expected to be worst during high tide along the Gulf Coast from Tarpon Springs to Treasure Island. Zone A communities along Tampa Bay are also expected to experience storm surge and king tide impacts, but it may be less severe.

Pinellas County remains under a Zone A evacuation order. All mobile home residents are also ordered to evacuate.

To look up possible storm surge flooding from the National Hurricane Center projections, see: 

Flood Safety

Don’t drive in flooded areas. The wake from vehicles traveling on flooded roads causes more property damage than the rising water alone.

Don’t play in floodwaters as they contain potential health hazards and hidden dangers including bacteria, dangerous wildlife and submerged hazards that could entangle a person or pet, leading to drowning.

Tornado Watch

Pinellas County is under a tornado watch from now until Aug. 30, 6 a.m. 

Report Electrical Outages

Based on projected wind speeds, widespread power outages are likely. In the event you experience a power outage, report it to Duke Energy by texting OUT to 57801, call (800) 228-8485 or report it online at https://www.duke-energy.com/outages . You can also sign up for outage alerts online.

If you see a fallen power line or safety hazard involving Duke Energy equipment, call Duke Energy at (800) 228-8485 immediately. Do not touch a power line or anything in contact with it and keep others away until help arrives.

Do not call 911 for power outages.

Generator Safety

Many people will use generators if they lose power. Here are some safety tips for generator use after the storm:

• Only run a generator in a dry, well-ventilated area away from your home. Wet ground poses an increased risk of electrocution.
• Never run a generator near doors, windows, air vents or A/C units to avoid drawing in dangerous exhaust fumes.
• Never run a generator inside your home or garage. Dangerous and potentially deadly amounts of carbon monoxide can build up.
• Install battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to alert you of dangerous levels. Replace the batteries in all your homes alarms.
• Never overload a generator, exceeding a generator’s maximum wattage rating can cause it to malfunction.
• Always connect the generator to appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.
• Never refuel a generator while it is running.
• Before shutting off a generator, power down and unplug all devices connected to it.

Residents Asked to Conserve Water

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to make landfall in the Gulf Coast on Tuesday. In preparation for the storm, Clearwater Public Utilities is asking everyone to conserve water. Here are some ways you can help: 

• Take shorter showers. 
• Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave. 
• Fix any leaks in your plumbing. 
• Do not water your lawn. 
• Only wash full loads of laundry and dishes.   

Utilities, Gas, Solid Waste and Recycling

Drinking Water: The drinking water system is safe and operating properly. Clearwater Public Utilities reduced flow of drinking water to Clearwater Beach around 12:40 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29. The drinking water flow is reduced but not cut off. The city does this in the event there is a water main break on Clearwater Beach and to avoid losing all of the water.

Reclaimed Water: The city will leave Clearwater's reclaimed water system online and will not shut it down. The reclaimed water system is a separate water system from our drinking water.

Gas: Clearwater Gas System does not interrupt or shut off its natural gas service during severe weather. Natural gas will continue to flow to power homes and businesses, even during severe weather.  

Trash & Recyling: There will be no service collection on Wednesday, Aug. 30, for residential and commercial customers. Services are anticipated to resume Thursday, Aug. 31.

City Offices, Libraries and Recreations Centers Closed Aug. 30

City offices, recreation centers, athletic fields, tennis complexes, Moccasin Lake Nature Park and libraries will be closed Aug. 30.

Stay Informed

Sign up for Alert Pinellas at pinellas.gov/alert-pinellas and download the Ready Pinellas app in the App Store or Google Play store for real-time storm updates. 

• Monitor local news media, tune in to NOAA weather radio stations, disaster.pinellas.gov, Facebook @PinellasGov and Twitter @PinellasGov 
• Follow Clearwater-specific updates at Facebook @MyClearwater and Twitter @MyClearwater
• Review tips and planning tools at disaster.pinellas.gov. 

If you have a question not listed here and would like to speak to someone, contact the Pinellas County Information Center at (727) 464-4333. The line is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the CIC via online chat at bit.ly/PinellasChat   

Please note this number is not available 24/7. In the event of an emergency, call 911.