Update: 1:30 p.m. | Aug. 28

Hurricane Idalia is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and dangerous winds to portions of Florida.

The National Hurricane Center has placed Pinellas County in the potential path of Tropical Storm Idalia. Pinellas County is currently under a Hurricane Warning and a Storm Surge Warning. The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners has declared a State of Local Emergency for Tropical Storm Idalia.

Pinellas County has ordered mandatory evacuations of Zone A and mobile home residents.

Pinellas County recommends that anyone evacuating go to a zone higher than Zone B in case conditions worsen.

The County will open a special needs shelter at 7 p.m. at John Hopkins Middle School, 701 16th Street S., St. Petersburg, for anyone who can arrange their own transport, and an additional 10 shelters at 7 a.m., Tuesday. Some of the shelters will be pet friendly. The latest shelter information is available at https:// disaster.pinellas.gov.

Special needs transportation will begin Tuesday morning. County staff will contact special needs residents who have pre-registered to arrange transportation to the nearest shelter. If you need help with transportation or have other special medical needs, you can register now by calling the County Information Center (727) 464-4333.

What to expect:

• Tropical Storm/Hurricane-force winds possible
• 6-10 inches of rain possible
• 7-9 feet storm surge along the Pinellas County coast
• Localized street flooding is possible. DO NOT drive through floodwaters. Six inches of moving water has the potential to knock you off your feet, and a foot of water can sweep a vehicle—even a large SUV—off the road.
• A few tornadoes may be possible.

Get Storm Ready:

• Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane.
• PLEASE heed evacuation orders. When mandatory evacuations are issued, police and fire personnel also evacuate the island. This is why we encourage residents to evacuate because there will be NO emergency personnel on the island until the storm passes.
• When evacuating, you do not have to go far. Just going inland a few miles would be sufficient. The main threat is to move away from the water and storm surge that will hammer our coast.
• Secure loose items around your home & yard: lawn chairs, umbrellas, trash cans, etc.
• Take pictures of important property: important documents, insurance policies, house, vehicles, forms of identification, valuable items, etc.
• Please make sure all drains and storm sewers are clean and clear. Public Works crews will also be making checks of stormwater drainage systems.
• Sign up for Alert Pinellas and email notifications.
• Monitor our website, mytreasureisland.com/Idalia, and our social media platforms and email notifications for updates.
• A reminder to Treasure Island residents and business owners. When a mandatory evacuation is issued, a valid Florida driver’s license with a Treasure Island address will be accepted to gain access to the island in the event the bridges are closed. An ID as such will work in place of a Barrier Island Re-entry pass.
• Why doesn’t the city provide sandbags. Find out here: https://youtu.be/4OFS3e1HhYE?si=kdRgN1rbAIjF-oDw

The County Information Center (CIC) is open for preparedness questions and special needs registration from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call (727) 464-4333. Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the CIC via online chat at bit.ly/PinellasChat

Power Outages:

• If you see a fallen power line or safety hazard, call Duke Energy at 228.8485or contact local emergency services immediately. Do not touch a power line or anything in contact with it and keep others away until help arrives.
• Report your outage by texting OUT to 57801, report online or call 228.8485.
• Sign up to get phone email alerts or you can text REG to 57801* to get text alerts about power outages, estimated restoration times, any information about the cause of the outage and status of Duke crews working to restore power.