Photo by Colin Wolf
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay will update this page as more information becomes available.
Most of the west coast of Florida is under some kind of storm surge warning, according to the National Weather Service, which added that the Bay area has potential to see storm surge flooding greater than six feet.
Sandbags and shelters are also available at multiple locations across the Bay area. See a listing of them below.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay will update this page as more information becomes available.
Citrus County shelters
"Public shelters should be an option of last resort. Citizens should make all preparations to shelter with family or friends and exhaust all other options before utilizing a public shelter," the Citrus County sheriff wrote.
The Citrus County sheriff says the following shelters will be open at 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 28,
Central Ridge Elementary School (General Population) 185 West Citrus
Springs Blvd., Citrus Springs, FL 34434
Citrus High School (General Population) 600 West Highland Blvd., Inverness,
FL 34452
The following Citrus County shelters open Monday, Aug. 28 at 4 p.m.
Central Ridge Elementary School (General population) 185 W Citrus Springs Blvd, Citrus Springs, FL 34434
Citrus Springs Middle School (General Population) 150 W Citrus Springs
Blvd, Citrus Springs, FL 34434
College of Central Florida (last resort option) 3800 S Lecanto Hwy, Lecanto,
FL 34461
Forest Ridge Elementary School (Special Needs) 2927 North Forest Ridge
Blvd., Hernando, FL 34442
Renaissance Center (Pet Friendly) 3630 W Educational Path, Lecanto, FL 34461
Hernando County shelters
As of 10:30 a.m., voluntary evacuations have been ordered in Hernando County zones A, B, and C. Here are some Hernando County shelter locations.
West Hernando Middle School (Special Needs) 14325 Ken Austin Pkwy., Brooksville, FL 34614
D. S. Parrott Middle School (General Population and Pet Friendly) 19220 Youth Dr., Brooksville, FL 34601
Nature Coast Technical High School (General Population) 4057 California St. Brooksville, FL 34604
Hernando High School (General Population) 111 Ernie Chatman Run. Brooksville, FL 34601
Hillsborough County shelters
Hillsborough County is opened two shelters at 2 p.m. today, Monday, Aug. 28.
Hillsborough Community College at The Regent (General population) 6437 Watson Rd., Riverview, FL
Erwin Technical (Special needs and pet-friendly) 2010 E Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33610 (Pet-friendly)
Hillsborough County is also opening eight more shelters tonight, Monday, Aug. 28 at 4 p.m.
Lockhart Elementary Magnet School (General population) 3719 N 17th St., Tampa, FL 33610
Middleton High School (General population) 4801 N 22nd St., Tampa, FL 33610 (Pet-friendly)
Newsome High School (General population) 16550 Fishhawk Blvd., Lithia, FL 33547
Pizzo Elementary (General population) 11701 USF Bull Run, Tampa, FL 33620
Reddick Elementary (General population) 325 West Lake Dr., Wimauma, FL 33598
Shields Middle School (General population) 15732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin, FL 33573 (Pet-friendly)
Steinbrenner High School (General population and pet-friendly) 5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz, FL 33558
Sgt. Paul R. Smith Middle School 14303 Citrus Pointe Dr., Tampa, FL 33625
Pasco County shelters
The following shelters will open Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at 8 a.m.:
Centennial Middle School, 38505 Centennial Road, Dade City
Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Fivay High School, 12115 Chicago Avenue, Hudson River
Ridge Middle and High Schools, 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey
Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., (Special Needs & General Population), Wesley Chapel
Fasano Regional Hurricane Center, (Special Needs & General Population), 11611 Denton Avenue, Hudson
Pinellas County shelters
Pinellas County will open a special needs shelter tonight, Monday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. (John Hopkins Middle School, see below), plus an additional 10 shelters at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29. More information on Pinellas County shelters is available via pinellas.gov.
Campbell Park Elementary School 1051 7th Ave. S, St. Petersburg
Carwise Middle School 3301 Bentley Dr., Palm Harbor
Dunedin Highland Middle School (special needs) 70 Patricia Ave, Dunedin
Gibbs High School (pets allowed) 850 34th St. S, St. Petersburg
John Hopkins Middle 701 16th St. S, St. Petersburg
Largo High School (pets allowed) 410 Missouri Ave, Largo
Lealman Innovation Academy 4900 28th St N, Lealman
New Heights Elementary School 3901 37th St N, St. Petersburg
Palm Harbor Middle School 1800 Tampa Rd, Palm Harbor
Palm Harbor University High School (special needs; pets allowed) 1900 Omaha St,
Palm Harbor
City of Tampa sandbags
City of Tampa residents with ID, utility or electric bill to prove residency can visit these locations which are open daily from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. until further notice.
Al Barnes Park 2902 N. 32nd Street, Tampa, FL 33605
Himes Avenue Complex 4501 S. Himes Avenue, Tampa, FL 33611
MacFarlane Park 1700 N MacDill Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607 (Site between Maxwell and Renfrew)
Hillsborough County sandbags
Hillsborough residents with IDs to verify residency can grab 10 sandbags per family from the following locations starting Monday, Aug. 28 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Edward Medard Conservation Park 6140 Turkey Creek Rd., Plant City, FL 33567
Ed Radice Sports Complex 14720 Ed Radice Dr., Tampa, FL 33626
E.G. Simmons Conservation Park 2401 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin, FL 33570
Larry Sanders Sports Complex 5855 S. 78th St., Tampa, FL 33619
City of St. Petersburg sandbags
City of St. Petersburg residents with valid proof of residence are encouraged to visit the following self-serve sandbag locations from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Sandbag distribution will not be available after 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 28.
Azalea Athletic Fields Parking Lot 1600 72nd St. N
Campbell Park Shelter Area Parking Lot 1360 5th Ave. S (Adjacent to Interstate 175)
Childs Park Pool Parking Lot 1227 43rd St. S
Garden Club of St. Petersburg 500 Sunset Dr. S
Grandview Park Parking Lot 3734-3814 6th St. S
Lakewood Sports Complex Parking Lot 2001 Country Club Way S
Lake Vista Tennis Court Parking Lot 12th St. S & 60th Ave. S
Walter Fuller Soccer Field Parking Lot 2800 75th St. N
The City of St. Petersburg is also offering full-service sandbag locations where city staff will build sandbags and help residents load them into their cars. Hours of operation on Monday, Aug. 28 are 7 p.m.-7 p.m.
Lake Maggiore Shelter Area 3601 Dr Martin Luther King Jr. St. S
Northeast Park 955 62nd Ave. NE
Northwest Swimming Pool Parking Lot 2331 60th St. N
City of Pinellas Park sandbags
Residents of Pinellas Park with valid ID and/or water bill may fill up to 10 sandbags each at the following sites starting Monday, Aug. 28, from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. The sandbag sites will be open Tuesday, Aug. 29, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weather permitting.
Helen Howarth Park 6301 94th Ave N. Pinellas Park, FL
Pinebrook Park 7202 118th Ave N. Pinellas Park, FL
Broderick Park 6101 66th Ave N. Pinellas Park, FL
City of Dunedin sandbags
City of Dunedin residents and business owners with proof of residency—driver's license or recent utility bill—can visit between 9 p.m.-5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 28 and take a maximum of 15 bags per resident or business owner. Sand, shovels and bags are available.
City of Dunedin Highlander Park parking lot 903 Michigan Blvd.
City of Indian Rocks Beach sandbags
The City of Indian Rocks Beach offers free sand and sandbags for property owners with driver's license or utility bill for proof, on a first-come, first-served basis today, Monday, Aug. 28 until 8 p.m. at Indian Rocks Beach City Hall (1507 Bay Palm Blvd. across from Kolb Park).
City of Temple Terrace sandbags
The City of Temple Terrace says residents with valid ID or recent utility bill with city address can fill 10 sandbags at the self-service station outside the Sports Complex located (10369 U.S.-Hwy 301) today, Monday, Aug. 28 until 7 p.m. and again tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 29 from 7 a.m.-noon. Sand, bags and shovels will be provided, with assistance available for the elderly and disabled.
Pinellas County sandbags
Pinellas County has also opened sandbag distribution sites for unincorporated residents who can head to the following sites with proof of residency.
John Chesnut Sr. Park: 2200 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor
Walsingham Park 12615 102nd Ave, Seminole
Residents must fill up their own bags, but shovels, sand and bags will be provided, and anyone in the incorporated parts of the county are advised to check with their municipalities for sandbag information.
“Sandbags are only recommended for residents who may experience minor flooding from rainfall,” Pinellas County officials wrote in a press release. “They will not protect against storm surge.”
Pasco County sandbags
Pasco County’s self-service sandbag locations are open 24 hours—and residents are advised to bring their own shovels. The following sites will be restocked between 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Former Dade City Police Department building 38042 Pasco Avenue, Dade City
Land O' Lakes Recreation Center 3032 Collier Pkwy., Land O' Lakes
Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn) 30908 Warder Road, San Antonio
Magnolia Valley Golf Course 7223 Massachusetts Ave., New Port Richey
Wesley Chapel District Park 7727 Boyette Rd., Wesley Chapel
W.H. Jack Mitchell, Jr. Park 4825 Little Rd., New Port Richey
Veterans Memorial Park 14333 Hicks Rd., Hudson
Hernando County sandbags
Self-serve sandbag stations in Hernando County are open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. until further notice. Limited supply of bags are available, and residents must bring their own shovel.
Anderson Snow Park 1360 Anderson Snow Rd., Spring Hill, FL 34609
(Enter through the service road between the park and the gymnastics place, the
sand is located at the end)
Linda Pedersen Park 6300 Shoal Line Blvd., Spring Hill, FL 34609
Ridge Manor Community Center 34240 Cortez Blvd. Ridge Manor, FL 33523
Closures and postponements
Amalie Arena has postponed the $uicideboy$ originally set for Tuesday, Aug. 29. The show is now on Sunday, Nov. 5—tickets for the original date are valid for the rescheduled date. If a guest cannot attend the rescheduled date, refunds are available at point of purchase through Thursday, Sept. 28.
St. Pete's Dalí museum will close on Tuesday, Aug. 29
David A. Straz Center will close on Tuesday-Wednesday, Aug. 29-30. No shows were scheduled, and parents with kids at the Patel Conservatory have already been noticed. The Straz Center hopes to reopen on Thursday, Aug. 31.
The Gallery at Creative Pinellas is closed Wednesday, Aug. 30
The Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is closed Monday-Wednesday, Aug. 28-30
Tampa International Airport (TPA) announced it will close operations at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 with an anticipated opening day of Thursday.
The University of South Florida announced Monday it will be canceling classes and shutting down both Tampa and St. Pete campuses on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Aug. 30. Dorms will remain open.
Busch Gardens Tampa will close early Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. The park remain closed through Wednesday and says it plans to reopen on Thursday.
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