St. Pete Standard

The City of St. Petersburg continues to manage the effects of Hurricane Helene as it progresses. Emergency operations are fully activated, and city officials are closely monitoring the situation to address residents' needs.

Hurricane Helene has intensified to a Category 2 storm. The city is experiencing increasing winds and some flooding in low-lying areas. Projections indicate a storm surge between 5 and 8 feet, which is expected to last for 12 to 36 hours. This level of storm surge is unprecedented for the area.

Shore Acres and Snell Isle are now restricted to residents only. All city facilities will be closed on Friday, September 27, including Sunken Gardens. However, the St. Pete Pier will remain open, though individual business hours may vary.

Trash and recycling collections scheduled for Thursday will take place on Saturday, September 28, while Friday's collections will proceed as planned. Brush sites are expected to open on Friday, pending assessments of any damage.

Pinellas County Schools have announced closures for Friday, September 27.

Residents in Zone A who have not evacuated are advised to shelter in place as conditions are likely to deteriorate further throughout the day. The city urges people not to drive through flooded streets or use electric vehicles in such conditions due to the risk of battery fires.

Authorities ask that manhole covers and clean-out caps not be removed by residents as this does not help with street flooding mitigation efforts.

Residents can sign up for Alert St. Pete at pinellas.gov/alert for updates and view current information from the National Hurricane Center at nhc.noaa.gov. Updates specific to St. Pete can also be found on social media by following @StPeteFL.