St. Pete Standard

As Hurricane Milton nears St. Petersburg, the city is actively monitoring the storm and urging residents to finalize their preparations. The City of St. Petersburg has issued a warning for those who have not yet evacuated to find shelter immediately.

The city advises residents to seek safety at shelters or with friends as first responders will be unable to assist once significant winds hit the area. Two additional shelters have been opened at New Heights Elementary School and Fairmount Park Elementary School in St. Pete. Residents are encouraged to check disaster.pinellas.gov for an updated list of shelters and their availability.

Shelters are open to all seeking refuge during the storm, and assistance in reaching these locations can be obtained by contacting the County Information Center at 727-464-4333.

Potential storm surges may lead to the closure of the Northeast and Southwest Sewer Treatment Facilities, which could disrupt plumbing services such as toilets, showers, and laundry for over 24 hours after the storm, depending on its impact.

The decision to evacuate staff and power down facilities will depend on wind conditions and storm surge levels as Hurricane Milton approaches landfall. Residents are advised to verify which sewer treatment plant serves their area through an online map provided by the city.

While there are no current plans to shut down drinking water preemptively, wastewater facilities might need to be taken offline if necessary due to damage from the storm surge.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Pinellas for real-time updates via stpete.org/hurricane and download the Ready Pinellas app available on major app stores. Regular updates can also be found through local news media, National Weather Service channels, disaster.pinellas.gov, and social media platforms @StPeteFL.

For further information regarding Hurricane Milton's impact on St. Petersburg, visit stpete.org/hurricane.