We're bringing you the most up-to-date information on Hurricane Milton as it impacts the Tampa Bay region 11:57 p.m.Hole opens up under two homes in Polk County Clearwater Police Department says to avoid Enterprise Road between Landmark and US 19 because of high water USPS says operations in Florida are resuming The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) closed westbound SR 52 from Old Pasco Road to Ehren cutoff due to emergency utility work Sarasota County is still in the process of assessing damages and impacts from Hurricane Milton Here are the current openings and closings for the county's barrier islands: All beach parks, including Siesta Beach, will remain closed until further notice. Click here for a full list of open parks and preserves Pete said that more than 100 traffic signals are down and hundreds of trees have fallen across the city Tampa Police Department gives a bird's eye view of flooding in Tampa Restoration efforts will continue as our officers and crews work to return to normal as soon as possible. Thank you to those who followed evacuation orders—you saved lives. We are proud to serve such a resilient community. We Are Tampa Strong! pic.twitter.com/GCgCQBbZbT — Tampa Police Department (@TampaPD) October 10, 2024 6:29 p.m.Engelwood residents devastated by storm surge from Milton Forrest Saunders has a full report from Engelwood Boil water notice issued for some customers in the Seffner/North Brandon area An estimated 4,000 connections are impacted A water main break caused the County's water distribution system pressure to fall below the required regulatory level initiating the precautionary boil water notice Click here to see a map of the affected area. For more information on the boil water notice, click here Tampa Water Department announced a full road closure on South Lois Avenue between West Platt Street and West Cleveland Street due to a water main break Officials are urging residents to use caution when navigating the roadways Pasco County Emergency Management lifted mandatory evacuation orders for Evacuation Zones A Massive tree uprooted in Pinellas County and fell onto an apartment complex Woman killed in Tampa after tree falls on her clearing storm debris Pete Fire Rescue gives an inside look at damage caused by a Wednesday night crane collapse The City of Tampa's reclaimed water system is currently shut down Anyone who uses reclaimed water for their irrigation system will be unable to use it until the issue is fixed There is no word yet on when repairs will be complete Hillsborough County lifted the evacuation order for Zones A and B and all mobile and manufactured homes throughout the county at 2 p.m The County is also preparing to conclude sheltering operations or transition shelter availability for evacuees who still need assistance Residents are being asked to drive with caution The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that their game on October 12 at Amalie Arena against the Hurricanes has been postponed Dunedin City Hall is opening a cooling and charging station Thursday First responders rescued more than 500 people at a flooded apartment complex in Clearwater Tampa International Airport announced that they plan to reopen to the public on Friday at 8 a.m there have been 10 confirmed deaths in Florida which they believe were caused by tornadoes Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said it had conducted over 500 rescues and 104 pet rescues in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton HCFR said among those numbers were 135 civilians rescued from an assisted living facility in the University area HCFR said they expect the number of rescues to continue rising as they continue operations in the area Tampa International Airport officials continue to assess the damage left by Hurricane Milton on the facility No time table has been given on when the airport might resume commercial operations Here's a look at Tropicana Field before and after Hurricane Milton Hillsborough County deputies rescued a 14-year-old boy in Tampa who was submerged in floodwaters and floating on debris HCA has set up a patient reunification line for evacuated patients Call 1-844-482-4821 with questions about evacuated patients Power outages in Florida are nearing 3.4 million There are 3,374,509 without power across the state after Milton The Tampa Bay region has nearly 1.9 million without power and Hillsborough County has the most outages – more than 515,000 Check the latest power outage update here Hillsborough County officials issue a precautionary boil water notice for residents experiencing low water pressure Sarasota County officials said access to the barrier islands This allows tactical first-in teams to assess the area for when it can be reopened Roads and bridges to the areas will be blocked to prevent access The MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre had its roof partially torn during the storm Pasco County officials have rescued around 22 people following Hurricane Milton Pinellas County officials lift the mandatory evacuation order for Zones A A sinkhole has opened at the intersection of Irish Moss Avenue and Pound Pine Drive Pete Mayor Ken Welch issues a boil water notice for the city following Hurricane Milton From the White House:President Biden spoke to Governor DeSantis this morning about the impacts of Hurricane Milton on the people of Florida The Governor said they are still assessing the damage across the state He thanked the President for the extensive Federal support to prepare for and respond to the storm The President reiterated that he will provide any support the state needs to speed response and recovery FEMA Administrator Criswell participated in the call and will be surveying the impacts with the Governor this morning Criswell will brief the President again immediately afterward The Courtney Campbell Causeway remains closed at this time PowerOutage.us reports there are more than 3.3 million Floridians without power More than 1.9 million are in the Tampa Bay region The largest number of outages is in Hillsborough County where more than 510,000 are without power You can view the latest outage numbers here The Hillsborough County government issued a stay-in-place for residents because of the many hazards on roadways across the county in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton Officials say there are downed power lines "Our teams are out assessing initial damages in the County and recovery is underway," a post on Facebook says. You can learn more on the county's website City of Venice Utilities Water Treatment Plant restores water services to customers Officials said multiple traffic signals are out due to power outages in Pinellas County Officials have reopened access to Pinellas County The Tampa International Airport said they are conducting an assessment of conditions and have plans to reopen later on Thursday A tree fell on top of a power line at the intersection of Bloomingdale Avenue and Kings Avenue Officials are urging residents to remain indoors while they assess the damage The Saint Lucie Medical Examiner confirmed that four people are dead at Spanish Lakes Country Club Village near Fort Pierce after tornadoes moved through the area ABC Action News Reporter Anthony Hill is live in Clearwater where people are being rescued from apartments located in Zone D The Tampa National Weather Service office said 29 tornado warnings were issued Wednesday as Hurricane Milton made landfall in the area The Miami NWS office said it issued 126 tornado warnings on Wednesday due to storms related to Milton Water rescue efforts remain ongoing in Clearwater This was the scene near the Standard Apartments off Drew Street in Clearwater The National Weather Service office in Tampa released some of the rainfall reports from Wednesday night due to Hurricane Milton with many possible records broken Tampa Police rescued 15 people, including multiple children, after a tree fell on their home during Hurricane Milton. Full story here. HCSO said they are working to clear and recover the Dana Shores area that has been flooded and damaged by Hurricane Milton The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County asked the public not to enter the water including public beaches and swimming pools due to the increased risk of water-borne illness Officials close down access to Pinellas County due to hazardous conditions including traffic light outages and downed power lines The Sheriff's Office reiterated that "ALL RESIDENTS MUST REMAIN SHELTERED IN PLACE!" The county said there is severe damage countywide and residents must stay off the roads until advised otherwise by county officials ABC Action News Reporter Larissa Scott is in Clearwater where first responders are already beginning water rescues Footage from Brandon Clement (WXChasing on YouTube) shows damage at Tropicana Field and around the area All Hurricane and Tropical Storm Warnings have been discontinued for the west coast of Florida Over 3 million Floridians are without power. For a complete list of outages, click here. Record river flooding is expected in our area following Hurricane Milton's landfall Recovery efforts are already underway in Hillsborough County 📢𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐘📢Post-storm recovery efforts have begun in some parts of our county. Please stay home, as we have received reports of downed trees and flooded streets. Your safety is our priority! pic.twitter.com/u2GxNCF3Tr — HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) October 10, 2024 Pasco County Fire Rescue is resuming all emergency response operations as weather conditions have improved The City of Temple Terrace is under a boil water notice due to power outages Hillsborough County Water Resources is encouraging residents to reduce waste water usage The county says this is to help mitigate impacts on the systems during and immediately after the storm Residents are being encouraged to limit the following over the next few days: The county says the reduction will help ensure the drinking water system remains available.2:15 a.m Video shows the moment a DeLand police officer was driving behind a car when a tree suddenly fell on it One of our officers was driving behind this vehicle when a tree suddenly fell. Thankfully this driver is OK, but this is a reminder that conditions will continue to deteriorate as Hurricane Milton impacts Florida. @DeLandPD pic.twitter.com/SLpnZAXV5y — City of DeLand (@CityofDeLand) October 9, 2024 Pinellas County officials are urging residents to stay off roadways until further notice — Pinellas County EM (@PinellasEM) October 10, 2024 St. Pete on X posted a video of a tree that was knocked over by strong winds Dangerous winds are still happening, St. Pete. Please stay inside until the storm passes.*Video outside the Moxy Hotel in downtown St. Pete pic.twitter.com/KTNHehJrKH — St. Petersburg, FL (@StPeteFL) October 10, 2024 Polk County Sheriff's Office said that the following roads are flooded and impassable: A crane collapsed during high winds in Downtown St The crane was at the 400 Central building construction site The City of St. Petersburg said that they will be shutting off drinking water citywide beginning at midnight The roof ripped off of Tropicana Field from the winds of Hurricane Milton We know that first responders were staging with cots inside the stadium ABC Action News Reporter Adam Walser shows floodwaters beginning to take over Tampa streets Hurricane Milton is now a Category 2 storm Meteorologist Greg Dee takes a look at conditions outside of the ABC Action News studio ABC Action News Reporter Robert Boyd shows what the strong winds are like in Seminole The NHC said that Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key around 8:30 p.m ABC Action News Reporter Michael Paluska gives an update from Sarasota ABC Action News Anchor gives an update from Paul Lagrone in Bradenton as transformer blows during Hurricane Milton winds Pinellas County officials are warning residents to shelter in place as Hurricane Milton approaches An Extreme Wind Warning has been issued for: According to ABC Action News Chief Meteorologist Denis Phillips this is the most severe weather alert the area will see with Hurricane Milton.The National Weather Service said associated with the eyewall of Hurricane Milton were moving onshore along a line extending from 6 miles southwest of South Bradenton to 25 miles southwest of Anna Maria to 52 miles southwest of Saint Armands Key and moving northeast at 30 miles per hour THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION!" President Joe Biden spoke from the White House Wednesday evening as Hurricane Milton was about to make landfall in Florida The president pledged full federal support for the region Multiple city and county first responders are being taken off the road until the storm has passed for their safety Pinellas County Sheriff's Office deputies were pulled from the road until the storm passes and it is safe for them to respond to calls once again The City of St. Petersburg said that the Northeast and Southwest Sewer Treatment Plants are now offline due to potential storm surge. You can check which sewer treatment plant serves your home by clicking here The City says these are the only facilities that are anticipated to be affected by the storm surge and there are currently no plans to shut down drinking water Petersburg said all first responders operations will be paused for now with Hurricane Milton making landfall in the next few hours As #Milton approaches and conditions worsen, all first responder operations will be paused. For the safety of our police, fire, and medical teams, they will not be able to respond to emergency calls until it is safe to operate. pic.twitter.com/QlCHVpsQWf 5:37 p.m.Kylie McGivern is reporting from Seminole As a reporter who has lived in the Tampa Bay area her entire life this storm feels different and personal to her The Bradenton Police Department shows what conditions are like on Riverview Boulevard 4:45 PM - Riverview Boulevard, Manatee River, Bradenton pic.twitter.com/aJUxxTpCOO — Bradenton Police Department (@BradentonPD) October 9, 2024 Sarasota County Sheriff's Office says it is no longer safe to be on the roads due to reports of flooding SCSO says to shelter in place and leave the roadways open for first responders This story is developing and will be updated as we get more information and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Report a typo Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a Category 3 around 8:30 p.m Wednesday and in the hours that followed tore a path across the state leaving millions of Floridians without power The storm pounded the state on three fronts Wednesday and overnight into Thursday where hundreds of thousands of residents were under a mandatory evacuation The north side of Milton dumped incredible amounts of fresh water — around 17 inches in parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties In just six hours — that led the National Weather to declare a rare flash flood emergency ripped off a section of the roof at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg and toppled a massive construction crane into a downtown building nearby it was the several feet of storm surge along the coast that brought reports of flooding but early images showed sea water rushing into Charlotte Harbor in the central and eastern parts of the state Dozens of them touched down around the state A crane is seen across 1st Avenue South near the Tampa Bay Times offices It looks like the crane broke apart at 400 Central Residences as Hurricane Milton’s strong winds tore through the area Thursday [ CHRIS URSO | Times ]In front of the Tampa Bay Times office remnants of a crane lay across First Avenue South smoke billows out of the corner of the building and alarm lights are flashing after the crane appears to have smashed into the side of the building There’s a strong smell of gasoline in the air and the faint sound of alarms ring out In what appears to be an initial indication that the worst of Tampa Bay’s impacts from Milton will be wind — not surge — consider the St There appears to be little damage across the pier The scene would look drastically different here had the worst of the storms potential surge funneled through Before Milton even made landfall Wednesday evening, tornadoes were touching down across the state. The Spanish Lakes Country Club near Fort Pierce, on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, was hit particularly hard, destroying homes and leaving some residents dead. “We have lost some life,” St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson told WPBF News All along the Grand Central district in downtown St downed trees and branches line almost every road fully grown oak trees were ripped from their roots and lay flat across the brick roads Many streets were impassable as winds continued to howl just before 1 a.m Petersburg’s beloved sports bar across from Tropicana Field Outdoor table tops and park benches are toppled on their sides as rain beats into the dining area Elaine Hoblitzell awoke at 11:30 Wednesday night In her bed on the seventh floor of Tampa General Hospital and knew something was wrong A 65-year-old cancer patient recovering from surgery Hoblitzell got up to go to the bathroom when she saw two to three inches of water pooling under her electrical hospital bed “All these cords were laying in the water and I thought they told her the water leaks had been going on all night and that they had nowhere to put the patients because the hospital was full All they could do was absorb the water with towels “The water is definitely coming through the water seals,” Hoblitzell said “It’s water blowing straight at the window.” — Michael Van Sickler A group is silohetted against a fallen crane along 1st Avenue South near the Tampa Bay Times offices The crane broke free from the south side of the 400 Central Residences as Hurricane Milton’s strong winds tore through the area Wednesday [ CHRIS URSO | Times ]The National Weather Service says it has received reports of multiple collapsed cranes due to high winds in St The roof of Tropicana Field is torn as Hurricane Milton passes Thursday [ CHRIS URSO | Times ]Downed light poles partially block the road along the new Gateway Expressway and Interstate 275 south sending rain flying horizontally across the pavement the tattered roof of Tropicana Field is a stark sign of the storm’s power Petersburg is shutting off potable drinking water service across the entire city at midnight The shutdown will remain in effect until necessary repairs can be completed which won’t happen until it is safe for city workers to be outside Affected areas may already be experiencing low water pressure or service interruptions Others will still be able to get water from their taps but should boil any water used for drinking cooking or brushing teeth until further notice further testing will be conducted to ensure water safety before lifting the boil water notice,” a city news release said the City will work around the clock to address this issue.” Updates will be provided through the city’s website and social media channels Nearly 2 million customers in Florida are out of power, as Milton’s winds and rain thrash across the state.See how many are out of electricity in your county in our power outage map.— Langston Taylor Milton is bringing “devastating rains and damaging winds inland over portions of Central Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said in an 11 p.m. advisory. A sustained wind of 58 mph and a gust of 82 mph were recently measured at Tampa International Airport. The storm was about 75 miles southwest of Orlando and moving east-northeast at 16 mph with 105 mph sustained winds. It is expected to maintain hurricane strength as it crosses Florida overnight. The hurricane center revised its storm surge forecast for Tampa Bay, saying the area can now expect 3-5 feet of surge. It canceled the storm surge warning for north of the Anclote River. — Emily Wunderlich View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike's Weather Page (@mikes_weather_page) Michael Kotler, a resident on the 12th floor of the McNulty building in downtown St. Petersburg, said he heard what he thought was thunder around 10 p.m. But it only happened once. He looked out of his window and saw a crane from the construction site of the Residences at 400 Central leaning against the office building 490 1st Ave which houses the offices of the Tampa Bay Times Mayor Ken Welch recommended on Tuesday that residents around three construction sites in downtown St Petersburg and one in the Carillon area should relocate or take other precautions because of safety concerns with high-rise cranes “We can confirm one crane cab in the upper section of the mast has fallen We are working with city officials and others to assess the situation,” said John Catsimatidis the tallest building in the city and the tallest residential building on Florida’s Gulf Coast A construction crane leans against the building at 490 1st Ave The building houses the offices of the Tampa Bay Times [ Courtesy of Michael Kotler ]11:03 p.m Roof damage at Tropicana FieldA large swath of the fabric roof at Tropicana Field has been ripped away according to eyewitness reports from downtown St The field at the stadium where the Tampa Bay Rays play had been filled with rows of cots on Tuesday as the ballpark became a staging site for workers tasked with tending to the tumult ahead It is unclear if the cots were still on the field when the roof was damaged Roof is gone at Tropicana Field #milton #rays Video by: Nick Friedman@mysuncoast @WESH pic.twitter.com/VME6Um351J #TropicanaField roof is coming off @RaysTheRoofTB pic.twitter.com/GNGpNcXiuV Eastern Hillsborough County has been drenched with 16 inches of rain in the last six hours, including 6 inches in the last hour, according to precipitation data collected in Dover Many roads are flooding in Tampa with a flash flood emergency from Hurricane #Milton. This car flooded out on N Lois Ave. Car is empty. Love coverage continues on @weatherchannel. pic.twitter.com/7xsV5RVNVs Flash Flood Emergency continues for Brandon FL, Lakeland FL and Palm Harbor FL until 4:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/R0rV8X1Q9n A flash flood emergency issued by the National Weather Service Tampa Bay office for Brandon Lakeland and Palm Harbor will be in effect until at least 4 a.m Petersburg and Clearwater has been extended to 2:45 a.m THIS IS INSANE! St. Petersburg has reported 5.09 inches of rain in ONE HOUR and 9.04 inches in3 hours.That’s more rare than a thousand year rain event!Thresholds for 1,000-year rain there:5.56”/1 hour7.16”/2 hours 8.50”/3 hours @MyRadarWX pic.twitter.com/9QUHYaXPed Milton was about 20 miles northeast of Sarasota and moving east-northeast at 16 mph The storm’s maximum sustained winds had dropped to 110 mph The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore reported live from the second floor of a parking garage in Charlotte Harbor after the first floor was completely inundated with storm surge Charlotte Harbor is south of where Hurricane Milton made landfall hours earlier Forecasters had been saying for days that the worst storm surge would be on the south side of the storm Live with @JimCantore in Port Charlotte, FL where the surge is rising from #HurricaneMilton pic.twitter.com/kJyk4OyuUL See the rising water in Charlotte Harbor with @JimCantore as Milton nears Florida: pic.twitter.com/DK3uYcEjWR The other side of the @Sunseeker harbor side. #milton surge and wave action. @StevePetyerak pic.twitter.com/SRzzBlqZAp Reports from the Bayshore Boulevard waterfront in Tampa in the same time period showed that the water level had dropped in Tampa Bay The bigger threat in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties appeared to be fresh-water flash flooding due to extremely heavy rainfall on the north side of Milton The water has been sucked out of Tampa Bay by Milton. Happened fast. pic.twitter.com/8ghtF5SZYx Hurricane Milton picking up quite a bit in Tampa along the Bay. pic.twitter.com/KUno8Pyc8S 🚨 STOP: Do not walk out into receding water in Tampa Bay - the water WILL return through storm surge and poses a life-threatening risk The National Weather Service has issued a rare flash flood emergency for St Between 10 and 14 inches of rain have fallen in the area A bulletin from the weather service offered a dire warning in all caps: “This is a particularly dangerous situation Seek higher ground now!” — Emily Wunderlich Flash Flood Emergency continues for Tampa FL, Saint Petersburg FL and Clearwater FL until 2:30 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/w2KDHMQKpp Almost 167,000 TECO customers have no power An additional 262,000 Duke customers in the Tampa Bay area also in the dark Petersburg and Clearwater has been extended until 11:30 p.m The National Weather Service says between 6 and 12 inches of rain have fallen as Milton’s northern eyewall moves through the area 🚨Major to locally catastrophic Flash flooding expected from metro Tampa area all the way to the east coast🚨6 hour rainfall totals of at least 5-8 inches with hourly rainfall in the 2-3 inches per hour range are expected. #Milton pic.twitter.com/sqiqBc4IFI This graphic from the National Hurricane Center shows Hurricane Milton's position and forecast track as of 8 p.m [ National Hurricane Center ]Milton has made landfall as a dangerous Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key in Sarasota County the National Hurricane Center reported at 8:30 p.m A message from @MayorKenWelch tonight: pic.twitter.com/tr8F5BCnKn Mayor Ken Welch said that first responders are off the roads in St Petersburg and are unable to respond to calls for help until weather conditions subside Welch advised those who need help to call 911 and “they will get to you as soon as it’s safe to do so.” — Colleen Wright and peak storm surge seems to be between Anna Maria Island in Manatee County and the Charlotte-Lee County line DeSantis said earlier today there were 116 tornado warnings the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said an early estimate shows about 125 homes were destroyed from tornadoes most of them mobile homes in senior communities Florida currently has search and rescue resources staged and ready to start going out as soon as they are able to When talking about power outages and recovery DeSantis said the storm seemingly cutting east into Sarasota means it could run over a swath of rural areas whereas if it had entered at Tampa Bay and rode up Interstate 4 it could have been “millions and millions of people” affected DeSantis and Guthrie have been asking FEMA for the ability to change reimbursement for debris pickup offering potentially guaranteed rates to incentivize people from across the country to come to Florida and help Guthrie said the state is looking at putting in a request through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to ask other states to come in with public works employees to help “We don’t know what might happen in the next 10 to 15 days,” Guthrie said ”We want to get some of this debris picked up again.” —Romy Ellenbogen Milton is expected to make landfall “just south of the Tampa Bay region” within the next hour or two according to the National Hurricane Center the storm was 30 miles west-southwest of Sarasota and moving east-northeast at 15 mph Its maximum sustained winds were still 120 mph and “little change in strength” was likely until landfall It is expected to remain a hurricane while it moves across Central Florida through Thursday Milton’s northern eyewall is beginning to move onshore near Tampa and St where an extreme wind warning is in effect The National Hurricane Center said the storm was 35 miles west-southwest of Sarasota and moving northeast at 15 mph It was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph More and more roads in Tampa Bay are closing as Milton approaches high winds and a downed power line have led to the closure of roads and lanes in the region according to a Pinellas County traffic tracker About 100 additional miles of roads are closed this evening compared to earlier this week An extreme wind warning is in effect for Tampa FL, Saint Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL until 9:30 PM EDT for extremely dangerous hurricane winds. Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW! pic.twitter.com/ddbaAC1rhl Petersburg and Clearwater are under an extreme wind warning until 9:30 p.m ”Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!” the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office wrote on X Police and firefighters have stopped responding to calls in some parts of Tampa Bay as conditions from Hurricane Milton worsened “First responders will seek shelter in police department buildings and fire stations and will return to the road to answer calls when conditions improve,” the city of Clearwater said in a news release Petersburg police were taken off the streets at 6 p.m. They will return to patrol “as soon as weather conditions improve.” Pasco County Fire Rescue suspended emergency responses across the county as it is no longer safe for emergency vehicles to be on the road please call 911 and provide details,” Pasco county said in a news release “We’re constantly monitoring weather conditions and emergency crews will respond as soon as it is safe to do so.” — Emily Wunderlich The city of St. Petersburg said it has shut off both the northeast and southwest sewage treatment plants to protect employees and equipment from Hurricane Milton’s “potential storm surge.” The announcement came at 5:46 p.m., earlier than the city previously said it would Starting at 7 p.m., residents in those service areas, about two-thirds of the city, are urged not to flush toilets, take showers or put anything down the drain. Repairs could take up to 48 hours once it is safe for crews to go back to the site. Residents can use this link to see if their homes or businesses are affected Read more here. — Colleen Wright At the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Orlando evacuees crammed the lobby bar as the first heavy bands from Milton arrived the hotel’s guests received messages from reception informing them the area was under threat of “tornadic activity” and invited to join staff in a secure second floor conference room staring up at the building’s only working televisions broadcasting weather updates while sharing stories of bumper-to-bumper traffic Many wondered how a massive storm like this could be happening again Lasagna and Salisbury steak were served out of to-go styrofoam containers while customers sipped on dirty martinis A man carried a giant plate of rice to a microwave several of which had been set up for guests to use during their stay Families played card games while dogs and their owners roamed the lobby nursed a bright crimson cocktail — tonight would be her third in the hotel after evacuating in the middle of the night from St ”We just moved here from North Carolina in August,” Smith said “We were planning on retiring here,” she said The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has taken all of its deputies off the road and will not respond to calls for service until after Hurricane Milton passes Petersburg announced it has shut off both the northeast and southwest sewage treatment plants take showers or put anything down the drain Repairs could take up to 48 hours once it is safe to go back to the site Residents can use this link to see if their homes or businesses are affected Clearwater and Largo has been extended until 7:45 p.m The warning also includes parts of Pasco County thunderstorms were producing heavy rain across the area The National Weather Service says 4-8 inches of rain have already fallen Flash Flood Warning including Saint Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL and Largo FL until 7:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/nWGCjqulJA The National Hurricane Center expects Milton to make landfall “near or just south of the Tampa Bay region” tonight forecasters had decreased the predicted storm surge for the area Tampa Bay could still see up to 9 feet of surge Though Milton’s wind speeds are slightly slowing down, forecasters emphasized the storm will be at or near major hurricane strength at landfall. Read more here This story also has tips about what to do if your water is out or your home is severely damaged warns that Milton’s current path could create a higher surge in the Tampa Bay area While the National Hurricane Center has predicted that Milton will turn to the northeast “The surge threat remains high across the ENTIRE area including (and south) of Pinellas county. IF Milton delays its turn, the surge level will be higher in the Bay,” he wrote Most of Tampa Bay’s major bridges closed earlier today including the Howard Frankland and Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Florida Department of Transportation cameras show rain blanketing the Howard Frankland in torrents but the crashing waves seen in previous storms have yet to come But experts wonder: What will the bridges look like tomorrow Less intense storms like Helene and Debby have worn away at the Howard Frankland’s shoulder pulling the barrier wall partially underwater Higher storm surge could erode bridge surfaces and foundations more around Tampa Bay Read here about the fate of Tampa Bay’s bridges Power outages spread across Florida’s Gulf Coast as Milton inched nearer to landfall more than 86,000 customers in the state had no power — including nearly 16,000 TECO customers and more than 8,000 Duke customers in Pinellas County Hurricane Milton has been downgraded to a Category 3 storm but forecasters still expect it to be a “dangerous major hurricane” when it makes landfall in west-central Florida tonight Milton was about 100 miles southwest of Tampa and moving north-northeast at 17 mph with 125-mph winds Tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rainfall are ongoing and multiple tornado warnings are in effect across the state Read more here Hurricane Milton was about 120 miles southwest of Tampa and moving northeast at 16 mph with 130-mph winds Forecasters expect it to remain a “dangerous major hurricane” through landfall tonight The National Hurricane Center said that multiple tornado warnings are in effect across the state “If a tornado warning is issued for your area preferably away from windows and in an interior room not prone to flooding,” forecasters wrote in an update Nearly 10,000 TECO customers were without power just after 3 p.m as well as around 5,000 Duke customers in Pinellas County Both utility providers said ahead of Hurricane Milton that Tampa Bay residents should be ready to live without power for several days Duke is preparing for “more than a million outages” if the storm passes through both Tampa Bay and Orlando Strawberry Crest High School and Durant High School are full Erwin Technical College (special needs only) is also full there are “state shelters of last resort” here: Hillsborough County and their transportation partners have discontinued service to shelters due to the “onset of winds arriving.” — Paul Guzzo Clearwater and Largo are under a flash flood warning until 5:30 p.m The National Weather Service said 2.5-3.5 inches of rain have fallen “Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly,” forecasters wrote in an advisory Flash Flood Warning including Saint Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL and Largo FL until 5:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/h2J8HmfMJa Milton is growing in size as it moves toward Florida’s West Coast hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 35 miles from its center and .tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 250 miles It was about 150 miles southwest of Tampa and moving north-northeast at 16 mph with 130-mph winds Forecasters predict the storm will maintain 125-mph winds as a strong Category 3 when it makes landfall late tonight. Read more on the forecast here At a Tampa Holiday Inn brimming with evacuees the front desk clerks were busy but calm as the phone rang off the hook and guests posed nervous questions at the counter your keycards still work when the power goes out we’ll still serve free ice cream in the evening — as long as it lasts The lobby was full of parents trying to keep children entertained One family pondered hands of fanned-out cards while another stared down a board game so extensive it hung off the table men smoked cigarettes and watched the rain blow in As the wind started groaning louder outside If wind speeds become too dangerous and storm surge reaches as much as 5 the city will make the call to shut one or both sites down late Wednesday or early Thursday said at a news conference Wednesday that the plant’s operators at the Northeast and Southwest plants would be unsafe with that much surge He said there would be a 20- to 30-minute window between when the public is notified and when the plants are powered down residents in the area served by the plants should not flush toilets Tankersley said because many have evacuated there is capacity in the collection system Tankersley said the city’s third sewage site is not facing a potential outage because it is at a higher elevation You can see if your home or business would be affected by the sewage outage at this link here Mayor Ken Welch said residents should be prepared for water sewer and electrical service to be offline for days with electrical outages for possibly weeks Read more here. — Colleen Wright Environmental groups are worried about possible pollution impacts as Hurricane Milton is likely to pass directly over Bone Valley the heart of Florida’s phosphate mining and production 22 of Florida’s 25 phosphate waste piles are located in Hurricane Milton’s projected path over Manatee That’s according to the latest National Hurricane Center forecast and state environmental regulatory data as of Wednesday morning Full story here Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said Tuesday that storm-related issues likely “will dominate” the next legislative session whose tenure as Senate president will end after the Nov 5 elections but who has two more years in the Senate said damage from Helene and Milton likely will be the focus of the next legislative session “We’re going to have to start looking at … a whole new — this is my feeling — a whole new philosophy of reconstruction and resilience and resiliency in our state,” said Passidomo I think that’s going to dominate our next session.” Read more here from the News Service of Florida Ron DeSantis said Wednesday afternoon that weather conditions are starting to get hazardous in parts of Florida hours before the storm’s expected landfall ”You’re starting to see major weather events happen.” the governor said at a news conference just unbelievable tornados that we are seeing.” DeSantis said more than 30,000 people are now in shelters and urged people to head to shelters now if they are still able to safely do so DeSantis noted that the state has more than 50,000 linemen ready to go to work as soon as the storm passes Conditions are starting to deteriorate on Treasure Island. Heavy bands of rain, windy with gusts of up to 30 mph. If for some reason you are still on the island. LEAVE NOW. pic.twitter.com/ePnmTqWs5F Steve Zorn and Amie Spencer from Bradenton sat pensively in the lobby of the Wesley Chapel Hyatt Place Wednesday with their eyes trained on the front desk Sunday for just one night — Tuesday — thinking Milton would arrive sooner and the hotel had nothing available for Wednesday night “It was literally a 24-hour-a-day job for three days to find a place only to get kicked out,” Spencer said in a close-knit community called Terra Palms that rallied when one neighbor lost her roof during Helene the neighbors were hoping for a last-minute cancellation they would need to drive to Lakeland as the weather began to worsen Spencer had found the last room available at a Best Western there “There were no cancellations.” — Mark Katches was about 160 miles southwest of Tampa and moving northeast at 17 mph with 145-mph winds as of 1 p.m “Tropical storm-force winds are just offshore and now is the time to stay inside and away from windows,” forecasters wrote in an afternoon update Read more on the forecast here. — Jack Prator Urging people to leave as the evacuation window closed and the storm grew nearer Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said Tampa Police were even able to get the viral social media figure Lieutenant Dan “If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter We have what you need to get out of harm’s way.” A TikTok video showed Tampa police Lee Chief Bercaw talking to him. But a post on X by a News Nation reporter said the social media figure was still on his boat A city spokesperson said he believed Dan told police he agreed to evacuate but had yet to do so Castor also also warned residents not to go back outside after the storm until city officials say it’s safe to do so All major bridges in Tampa Bay are now fully or partially closed joining the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway bridge The westbound lanes of the Gandy Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Causeway — heading toward Pinellas County — are now closed Those headed toward Hillsborough County can still cross the Gandy and Courtney Campbell A Florida Highway Patrol car sits at the top of the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway bridge on Wednesday after troopers closed it due to high winds from Hurricane Milton [ Florida Highway Patrol ]12:30 p.m Shelter space still availableHurricane Milton is fast approaching That doesn’t mean it’s too late to evacuate “We will never ever turn somebody away from a shelter,” Pasco County spokesperson Sarah Andeara said “If we’re in the middle of a storm and someone is seeking refuge Read more here Hillsborough County issued a warning “in anticipation of faulty cell tower service” and major flooding expected for the Hillsborough River at Morris Bridge and near Zephyrhills at the Hillsborough River State Park beginning Thursday evening The Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge closed around 11:30 a.m Wednesday as winds began to pick up before Hurricane Milton’s landfall The bridge typically closes once wind speeds reach a sustained 45 miles per hour All three bridges across Tampa Bay — the Howard Frankland and Gandy bridges and the Courtney Campbell Causeway — are expected to close Wednesday afternoon as water levels rise and waves begin to crash against barrier walls A tornado touched down near State Road 80 near Clewiston Wednesday morning according to a photo posted by the National Weather Service in Miami The Tampa Bay area also faces the threat of tornadoes as Milton nears the area and is among several Florida counties under a tornado watch until 9 p.m Taken by Greg Travers on SR80 a few minutes ago! **Please take the Tornado Warnings we are issuing as fast as we can seriously!**This is a very favorable environment for quick-moving and dangerous Tornadoes. https://t.co/mROCXoeq8I pic.twitter.com/0AIX1iuOBl Floridians still have time to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton “There is high confidence that this hurricane is going to pack a major major punch and do an awful lot of damage,” DeSantis said but the best option might be to leave to a local shelter where there is still plenty of capacity About 31,000 people are currently sheltering at 149 locations across the state with capacity for well over 200,000 people The state also opened six additional shelters “of last resort” in and around Tampa Bay: Hard Rock Events Center Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa; LifeScience Logistics Punta Gorda; and Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus Those sites have generator power and Starlink internet connectivity The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus is equipped to shelter people with special needs but there are things there that will make it tolerable,” DeSantis said The state’s cleanup efforts reduced the debris on the barrier islands by about 50% More than 50,000 linemen from as far away as California are in the state making it the “largest staging of utilities and linemen in American history,” DeSantis said About 500 police officers from other states are also in the state to “maintain law and order” after the storm He said he spoke to President Joe Biden and is in regular contact with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials Pinellas County has announced that three shelters are now full Lealman Innovation Academy and Palm Harbor University Building 19 The county has 11 shelters still accepting residents. Find the full list here Hillsborough County Fire Chief Jason Dougherty said his department is prepared with shipment of four amphibious utility task force vehicles that arrived last night and overcome most any difficult obstacles,” he said “Consider them humanitarian monster trucks that can reach people in the most difficult situations.” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said to be smart Evacuate if told to do so and shelter in place “If you are the one who chooses to gamble and stay in an evacuation zone … it’s going to get really nasty and really dangerous to be outside,” he said Staying in place includes immediately after the storm when there will be downed power lines and trees TECO’s Mary Lou Carn said more than 5,000 utility workers are ready to respond the largest deployment they have ever assembled for a storm TECO will first restore power to places like hospitals and then to communication providers and places like grocery stores and gas stations Are you a Tampa resident with a hurricane-related question The city’s Emergency Hotline is open now until 10 p.m An apparent tornado formed in southeast Glades County and crossed Interstate 75 according to posts on X by the National Weather Service in Miami The posts included images that appeared to be from traffic cameras in the area TORNADO just crossed I-75! https://t.co/RZCkn3LlSn pic.twitter.com/27R33J02Kk Few cars traveled north on Interstate 275 this morning out of St but still just a handful idling at the red lights the parking lots of empty restaurants by the roadside The Howard Frankland Bridge was also deserted the few cars on the road leaving Pinellas County for Hillsborough but the dark bay water stirred only slightly as the winds remained minimal The blinking highway signs told a terse story: Tolls suspended Wednesday promised to be a day of last seconds Emergency management officials across the Tampa Bay region continue to urge residents in evacuation zones to head to shelters rather than try to ride out Hurricane Milton at home To ensure they have enough spaces available both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties announced this morning they would open three additional sites The new Pinellas shelters are: Palm Harbor Middle School Palm Harbor; New Heights Elementary School St Petersburg; and Fairmount Park Elementary School These general population shelters do not accept pets Find a full list of Pinellas shelters here The new Hillsborough shelters are Mulrennan Middle School Valrico (not pet friendly); Lockhart Elementary Magnet School Tampa (not pet friendly); and Collins PK-8 School Officials also noted that the Shields Middle School shelter in Ruskin was filled to capacity and Lealman Innovation Academy shelter in St Pinellas emergency management director Cathie Perkins pleaded with residents in mandatory evacuation zones to move before storm force winds whip up midday and sent a clear message: If you stay “This is unsurvivable,” Perkins said of potential wrath in low-lying areas About 8,000 people were already in the eight shelters the county has opened Charter buses run by the state will stop taking people to shelters after about 11 a.m Those seeking to flee can still get Lyfts and Ubers And as the storm nears — with high winds and flooding from devastating storm surge and heavy rain — authorities will have to pull first responders off the road “I don’t want you to find out what it feels like to be stuck in your home and have water rushing in knowing that you might not even be able to get a dial tone on your phone,” Perkins said The time to finish preparing for Hurricane Milton’s arrival is right now “Rush to complete all preparations to protect life and property in accordance with your emergency plan,” federal meteorologists wrote in an advisory “Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings.” As of 9 a.m., Milton was about 230 miles southwest of Tampa and moving northeast at about 16 mph. Forecasters will release another position update at 10 a.m. Read more on the forecast here. — Max Chesnes A tornado watch has been issued for several Florida counties including Pinellas and Hillsborough A watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida until 9 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/1mcgtyl2Jd Hurricane Milton was about 250 miles southwest of Tampa and moving northeast at 16 mph with 155-mph winds as of the National Hurricane Center’s 8 a.m The peak surge forecast for the Tampa Bay area decreased slightly Read more on the latest advisory and forecast here. And here is a story about how precise storm surge levels are difficult to predict and how the worst of Milton’s surge flooding could be decided by just a few miles’ difference in track The Florida Division of Emergency Management was still offering bus service to take residents to emergency shelters on Wednesday morning Find the bus schedule for Hillsborough County here The division has also partnered with Uber to get a free trip to the nearest evacuation center tap Account on the bottom right and tap Wallet A list of state-approved shelters is at FloridaDisaster.org/Shelter-Status To request evacuation transportation in Pinellas County call Pinellas County Emergency Management at 727-464-4333 Regular Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority services have been suspended until further notice Pasco County Public Transportation has suspended its regular service contact Pasco County Customer Service at 727-847-2411 Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Emergency Service was operating until 8 p.m It did not have updated information available For more on how to evacuate, read on With Hurricane Milton threatening to hit the Gulf coast at Category 4 strength late tonight or early Thursday, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister had a simple message at 6:35 a.m.: “If you need to get someplace safe for whatever reason, the time is now,” the sheriff said in a video posted on X. Shelter space nearby remained available throughout the Tampa Bay region Late Tuesday, Pinellas County opened a tenth shelter at Campbell Park Elementary, 1051 7th Ave. S in St. Petersburg. See all the open shelters here Hillsborough County had nine shelters open. Here’s an interactive map to see which one is closest to you Pasco County shelters had almost double the number of evacuees early Wednesday than they had Tuesday morning. But they still had thousands of available spaces. See the county’s evacuation zone finder for details Public transit systems have said they would provide rides to shelters until the storm prevents safe passage Pasco also announced that anyone seeking sandbags from public sites should do so before noon. More details here Residents planning to evacuate or making last minute preparations should keep in mind that the region’s major bridges are expected to be closed later today when conditions become hazardous close when waves from Tampa Bay begin to lap onto the roadway and become dangerous to drivers The Sunshine Skyway Bridge closes once wind speeds reach 45 miles per hour Those conditions are expected this afternoon before Milton makes landfall Milton was a “catastrophic” Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 a.m. advisory. The storm was about 300 miles southwest of Tampa and expected to make landfall late tonight or early Thursday as a “dangerous” major hurricane bringing “devastating” hurricane-force winds to portions of the Gulf Coast The Tampa Bay area remains in the cone of uncertainty The peak storm surge forecast for the region remains up to 15 feet “If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area this is an extremely life-threatening situation and you should evacuate as soon as possible if ordered by local officials,” forecasters wrote Though the advisory shows the storm making landfall near Sarasota as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of about 130 mph forecasters warned against focusing on the exact landfall point because the average error 24 hours out is about 40 miles And significant impacts from the storm extend well beyond the center Milton is expected to remain a hurricane as it cuts across the peninsula and bring “life-threatening” to inland areas Heavy rainfall through Thursday brings the risk of “catastrophic and life-threatening” flash flooding with moderate to major river flooding as the storm moves east “There is an area of heavy rain beginning to spread across portions of southwestern and west-central Florida out ahead of Milton and weather conditions will steadily deteriorate across portions of the Florida Gulf Coast throughout the day,” the advisory states A National Hurricane Center graphic shows Hurricane Milton's location and forecast cone as of 5 a.m [ National Hurricane Center ]A National Hurricane Center graphic shows the peak storm surge forecast for Hurricane Milton as of 5 a.m [ National Hurricane Center ]• • • 5 things to know about the 2024 hurricane season, according to forecasters. Forecasters predict ‘extremely active’ 2024 hurricane season. Here’s why. Could Tampa Bay flood insurance rise after a hurricane? A warning from Hurricane Ian Want to know what areas are flooding in Tampa Bay? Here’s where to look Checklists for building all kinds of storm kits. Tony Marrero is the criminal justice and breaking news reporter. Reach him at tmarrero@tampabay.com. Gabrielle Calise is a culture reporter who covers music, nostalgia and offbeat Florida trends. Reach her at gcalise@tampabay.com. Hannah Critchfield is an investigative reporter. She can be reached at hcritchfield@tampabay.com. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike's Weather Page (@mikes_weather_page) Roof is gone at Tropicana Field #milton #rays Video by: Nick Friedman@mysuncoast @WESH pic.twitter.com/VME6Um351J #TropicanaField roof is coming off @RaysTheRoofTB pic.twitter.com/GNGpNcXiuV Many roads are flooding in Tampa with a flash flood emergency from Hurricane #Milton. This car flooded out on N Lois Ave. Car is empty. Love coverage continues on @weatherchannel. pic.twitter.com/7xsV5RVNVs Flash Flood Emergency continues for Brandon FL, Lakeland FL and Palm Harbor FL until 4:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/R0rV8X1Q9n THIS IS INSANE! St. Petersburg has reported 5.09 inches of rain in ONE HOUR and 9.04 inches in3 hours.That’s more rare than a thousand year rain event!Thresholds for 1,000-year rain there:5.56”/1 hour7.16”/2 hours 8.50”/3 hours @MyRadarWX pic.twitter.com/9QUHYaXPed Live with @JimCantore in Port Charlotte, FL where the surge is rising from #HurricaneMilton pic.twitter.com/kJyk4OyuUL See the rising water in Charlotte Harbor with @JimCantore as Milton nears Florida: pic.twitter.com/DK3uYcEjWR The other side of the @Sunseeker harbor side. #milton surge and wave action. @StevePetyerak pic.twitter.com/SRzzBlqZAp The water has been sucked out of Tampa Bay by Milton. Happened fast. pic.twitter.com/8ghtF5SZYx Hurricane Milton picking up quite a bit in Tampa along the Bay. pic.twitter.com/KUno8Pyc8S Flash Flood Emergency continues for Tampa FL, Saint Petersburg FL and Clearwater FL until 2:30 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/w2KDHMQKpp 🚨Major to locally catastrophic Flash flooding expected from metro Tampa area all the way to the east coast🚨6 hour rainfall totals of at least 5-8 inches with hourly rainfall in the 2-3 inches per hour range are expected. #Milton pic.twitter.com/sqiqBc4IFI A message from @MayorKenWelch tonight: pic.twitter.com/tr8F5BCnKn An extreme wind warning is in effect for Tampa FL, Saint Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL until 9:30 PM EDT for extremely dangerous hurricane winds. Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW! pic.twitter.com/ddbaAC1rhl Flash Flood Warning including Saint Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL and Largo FL until 7:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/nWGCjqulJA Flash Flood Warning including Saint Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL and Largo FL until 5:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/h2J8HmfMJa Conditions are starting to deteriorate on Treasure Island. Heavy bands of rain, windy with gusts of up to 30 mph. If for some reason you are still on the island. LEAVE NOW. pic.twitter.com/ePnmTqWs5F Taken by Greg Travers on SR80 a few minutes ago! **Please take the Tornado Warnings we are issuing as fast as we can seriously!**This is a very favorable environment for quick-moving and dangerous Tornadoes. https://t.co/mROCXoeq8I pic.twitter.com/0AIX1iuOBl TORNADO just crossed I-75! https://t.co/RZCkn3LlSn pic.twitter.com/27R33J02Kk A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida until 9 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/1mcgtyl2Jd Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of New York straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy New York without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. New York Driving in New York City isn’t exactly *aesthetic* That’s why it’s nice to sometimes take a drive out of the city to see beautiful country lanes and scenic highways RECOMMENDED: The best places to go camping near NYC Seven Lakes Drive is an 18-mile parkway in the Hudson Valley that mostly lies within Bear Mountain and Harriman state parks the drive passes by seven lakes: Lake Sebago and Lake Kanawauke in the towns of Haverstraw and Tuxedo; Lake Skannatati and Lake Askoti in Tuxedo; Lake Tiorati in Tuxedo and Woodbury; Silver Mine Lake in Woodbury; and Queensboro Lake in Highlands The parkway winds around these lakes giving beautiful glimpses of the landscape wildlife and more as you drive north toward Bear Mountain off State Route 17End: Seven Lakes Drive at US 6 between Doodletown and Fort Clinton Photograph: ShutterstockIf you're looking for the rustic beauty of farmland but also want views of the ocean and quaint shops that line villages you can have it all if you head to Long Island's South Fork along NY-27 East Montauk Highway (27 East) extends to the east all the way to the Montauk Lighthouse with the option to hop off at any point and explore various villages and hamlets (Southampton and Sag Harbor) and their backroads that wind through farmland and pass massive estates.  Under 2 hrs from NYCStart: Montauk Highway in SouthamptonEnd: Montauk Highway in Montauk Photograph: ShutterstockIf you want to skip the Hamptons polish for the easygoing rustic charm of North Fork take the North Fork Trail from Southold to Orient Point via Route 25 The 36-miles of roads wind through charming hamlets expansive farms and wetlands with chances to stop and get a view of the ocean you can stop on the side of the road to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables farmed right on the island 2 hrs from NYCStart: Route 25 in SoutholdEnd: Route 25 in Orient Point It's not well known that the city has a New England-y fishing village in its limits but head to City Island in the Bronx to see it yourself Get off I-95 at exit 8B onto City Island Road and you'll be there in just a few minutes The island is only 1.5-miles long and whether you drive or walk there's a quaint town to discover with beautiful views of Long Island Sound 35 mins from midtownStart: City Island Road at I-95 in the BronxEnd: City Island Road at Belden Point 1 hr from NYCStart: Saw Mill River Road in TarrytownEnd: Bedford Road at North Broadway in Sleepy Hollow Photograph: ShutterstockNo matter what season it is a drive on the Palisades Parkway offers incredible views of the Hudson River Valley The drive stretches 42 miles from the George Washington Bridge to Bear Mountain Bridge and shows off the Palisades cliffs and the river below Pack a picnic lunch and drive to a few points along the way including Roosevelt Lookout and the Englewood Picnic Area.  views can be found up to 1 hr awayStart: George Washington BridgeEnd: Bear Mountain Bridge Photograph: ShutterstockThis 88-mile stretch passes by farmland 30,000 acres of nature preserves and historic Dutch settlements flanked by the beautiful Catskills mountains It begins about 90 miles north of NYC and winds around the Rondout and Wallkill valleys The views alone should sustain your cravings for nature for awhile About 2 hrs from NYCStart: New York State Thruway (I-87) north's exit 17End: The route forms a circle around the gunks Photograph: ShutterstockFollow this 52-mile stretch that takes you through Slide Mountain Wilderness Look out your windows to see climbing mountains rolling farmland and quaint villages. For an especially breathtaking route take Route 214 to 23A to 32 and then to 20 for inspiring cascading waterfalls Start: NY-28 in PhoeniciaEnd: NY-28 in Andes Photograph: ShutterstockThis route takes you alongside the Delaware River and around the Kittatinny Ridge, which is part of the Appalachian Trail. Myscenicdrives.com takes motorists to the Kittatinny Point Visitors Center then through Worthington State Fortest You'll also be able to stop in High Point State Park and end in Newton.  The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway (NYS Route 97) includes access to the Tusten Mountain Trail the Crystal Lake State Reservation and the Bouchoux Trail and more with the ability to stop in small towns along the way The 70-mile route runs along the New York bank of the Upper Delaware River which offers glimpses of cliffs and wildlife and is nestled between the Catskills and the Poconos NYEnd: The Village of Hancock in Pensylvania Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktokfacebooktwitteryoutubeAbout us Contact us 2024TAMPA — The office of Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez will seek the death penalty in two separate murder cases the other a double fatal shooting described as an “ambush.” A pair of written notices filed in court Friday declared that prosecutors will ask for capital punishment in the cases of Dayhan Ruenes Vinet and Robert Lee Craig-Webb robbery and other crimes related to the June stabbing of Yalexander Jimenez Felipe is charged with shooting his ex-wife and a man she was dating in a June attack inside an apartment complex near downtown Tampa The declarations make the pair at least the 13th and 14th defendants against whom Hillsborough prosecutors are seeking a death sentence Lopez, in the nearly two years since she was appointed to be state attorney, has expanded the office’s pursuit of the death penalty. When Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended her predecessor, Andrew Warren, the office had five death penalty prosecutions pending. That had shrunk from a high of 24 cases that Warren inherited when he took office in 2016. An arrest affidavit in Ruenes Vinet’s case describes an investigation that began June 4, when someone found Jimenez, 47, lying in a ditch along East Chelsea Street in the East Lake-Orient Park area, a little east of the Tampa city limit. He’d been stabbed several times in his chest. Investigators found blood inside his silver Buick, which was parked nearby. In Jimenez’s phone, Hillsborough sheriff’s detectives found a string of WhatsApp messages that he exchanged shortly before his death with Ruenes Vinet. They also found a voice message from June 1 in which Ruenes Vinet told Jimenez to “come out” and “to wear his jewelry,” according to an arrest affidavit. He also told him that he had a woman with whom Jimenez could hang out, the affidavit states. Detectives learned that Ruenes Vinet visited the Ultra Jewelry Pawn Shop days after the slaying and pawned three gold rings. The rings belonged to Jimenez, detectives wrote. Ruenes Vinet told detectives he’d bought the rings from Jimenez on June 1, according to the affidavit. He said he needed to resell them to make money to pay his apartment rent. But surveillance video recorded June 2 showed Jimenez wearing the rings that day at his home, detectives wrote. Ruenes Vinet said he last saw Jimenez when they left work the afternoon of June 3, the document states. Their employer is not named in the affidavit. He said he went to his apartment late that day and stayed there until the next morning. But detectives identified surveillance video that showed his car being driven away from the apartment complex that night. Data from his phone placed him at the murder scene a little after 9 p.m. June 3, according to the affidavit. Subscribe to our free News Alerts newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. is charged with first-degree murder in the June 1 shootings of Eugenia Craig-Webb Lopez’s office said he exhibited “stalker-like” behavior after their divorce in 2021 he drove to the Trio at Encore apartments and shot the pair as they walked outside The state’s pursuit of a death sentence does not mean that either man will get it if a jury finds them guilty of first-degree murder the state will then have to prove at least one aggravating factor The state’s decision comes weeks after Lopez announced she would seek the death penalty in the case of Angel Cuz Choc a Guatemalan man accused in the brutal killings of his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter in May Other defendants facing death in Hillsborough County include Jermaine Bass charged with killing his 5-year-old daughter and seriously injuring his 8-year-old son by shooting them in 2022 at their North Tampa apartment The state also is seeking death against Phillip Stapleton who is charged with the 2023 murder of his ex-girlfriend The death penalty is also being sought in the case of Billy Adams III, the Tampa rapper charged in the death of Alana Sims and her unborn child, a crime that occurred three days after Adams was acquitted in a separate double murder case. Dan Sullivan is a criminal justice reporter. Reach him at dsullivan@tampabay.com. 2024 at 2:03 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Don't miss a minute of the fun so it's time to find out where you can celebrate in and around Long Island To help you fit it all in on your 4th of July calendar Patch has put together a comprehensive guide to what’s going on around Long Island What: Greenport Fire Department's Relief Hose and Phenix Hook & Ladder Co. Annual Carnival Where: Moore's Lane When: The carnival will be held from July 2 to July 6 with fireworks on July 3 and July 6 at 10 p.m What: 26th Annual Southold Village Merchants' July 4 Parade The 26th Annual Southold Village Merchants' July 4 Parade kicks off on Main Road in Southold and wends its way from Boisseau Avenue to Tuckers Lane in a burst of patriotic red What: Orient Harbor Fireworks This July 4 celebration is entirely funded by private donations Please donate and come down to Orient Harbor Saturday July 6 to enjoy what will be another great show by Fireworks by Grucci What: Shelter Island Fireworks The fireworks are a beloved annual tradition What: Alive on 25 The Alive on 25 summer street festival in Downtown Riverhead offers live music on multiple stages What: Westhampton Country Club Fireworks This is a private event held at the Westhampton Country Club on Potunk Lane but the whole community enjoys the spectacular display of Grucci dazzlers each year What: 78th Annual North Sea Fire Department Carnival Where: North Sea Volunteer Fire Department What: Southampton Village Independence Day Parade The Commission on Veterans Patriotic Events holds its annual Independence Day Parade in Southampton Village The parade leaves from Railroad Plaza and continues down North Main What: Sag Harbor Yacht Club's John A. Ward Fireworks Where: Marine Park Tune into WLNG 92.1 FM and enjoy the music to the fireworks provided by Grucci What: Southampton Fresh Air Home's 37th Annual American Picnic With Fireworks by GrucciThe fireworks will be shot off a barge at dark and can be seen over Shinnecock Bay What: Devon Yacht Club Fireworks Where: Watch from Fresh Pond Beach When: Saturday, July 6 at 9:30 p.m.What: The Clamshell Foundation's Fireworks Over 3 Mile Harbor The Clamshell Foundation's Fireworks over 3 Mile Harbor raise funds for children in the community; funds will be raised for scholarships The event is entirely funded by public contributions What: East Hampton Fire Department Fireworks Over Main BeachThe East Hampton Fire Department's fireworks are a long-beloved tradition What: Village of Amityville Annual July 3rd Celebration Where: Oak St What: Village of Amityville Annual July 4th Parade Where: South Bayview Ave. What: Asharoken Fireworks Where: The Village of Asharoken said there is NO public area to watch the firework show or no parking in the village People can watch the show from Crab Meadow Beach Or people can watch on a boat in Northport Bay or the Long Island Sound What: Beach Blast & Fireworks at Cedar Beach Where: Overlook & Cedar beaches What: 66th Annual Artists On the Lane Where: Bellport Lane What: Long Island Ducks Postgame Fireworks Spectacular Where: Fairfield Properties Ballpark What: Town of Babylon’s Summer Concert Where: Tanner Park What: Bald Hill OF July Celebration and Fireworks Where: Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheater at Bald Hill When: July 4 at 5:30 p.m What: Lions Club 4th of July Parade, Patchogue Where: Main Street 10:30 a.m.Come down to Main Street for the annual Lions Club 4th of July Parade and heading east from the intersection of Main Street and West Ave What: Port Jefferson Fireworks, Parade Where: West and East Beach The fireworks are not viewable from Port Jeff Harbor This event is for Port Jefferson residents sponsored by the Port Jefferson Fire Department What: Celebrate America Fireworks featuring the "Allmost Brothers Band" and "Chicken Head Rocks." What: Glen Cove Children's Parade, Concert, Fireworks Where: Parade starts at 9:30 a.m Concert starts at 7:30 at Morgan Memorial Park What: Fireworks Extravaganza Where: The boardwalk What: St. Rocco Festival & Fireworks Where: Fireman's Field What: Town of Oyster Bay Salute To America Where: Tobay Beach in Massapequa What: Oyster Bay AmVets Independence Day Parade Where: Oyster Bay Community Center What: Rockville Centre Fireworks and Symphony Where: Barasch Field What: Happy Birthday USA Where: Sea Cliff Children's Library What: Traditional Reading of the Declaration of Independence Where: Sea Cliff Village Library What: 4th of July Fireworks at Jones Beach Where: Wantagh Rockville Centre Fireworks and Symphony Americans celebrate the birth of a new nation with fireworks predate by centuries the designation of Independence Day as a federal holiday During the pivotal summer of 1776, the pre-Revolutionary celebrations honoring King George III’s birthday were replaced with mock funerals as a symbolic break from the crown It was an exciting time in Philadelphia — the Continental Congress voted to break from the crown and the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the original 13 colonies —New Hampshire South Carolina and Georgia — to adopt the Declaration of Independence The first annual commemoration of the nation’s independence was in Philadelphia on July 4 Fireworks have been part of Fourth of July festivities since the first celebration in Philadelphia Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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The severe thunderstorm warning from the National Weather Service for Polk County has ended stated the following in a hazardous weather outlook that extends into Monday night: Numerous thunderstorms are expected throughout the day today During the late morning through the afternoon and evening there is potential for some strong to severe storms capable of producing strong gusty winds Note: The warning has been extended one hour to 11 a.m The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 11 a.m Southeastern Pasco County in west central Florida Eastern Hillsborough County in west central Florida Northwestern Polk County in central Florida severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Temple Terrace to near East Lake-Orient Park to near Riverview to near Greater Sun Center PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS: For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building and upcoming events right to your inbox with our daily newsletter From the sandy shores of Peconic Bay to the sunset-kissed coastlines of the Sound the North Fork has no shortage of enchanting beaches And while many of these local gems are reserved for residents during the season nonresidents need not worry — there are still several seaside destinations on the North Fork that are open to all.  Town of Southold: Southold Town comprises the hamlets of Cutchogue A Southold Town beach permit is required for parking at town beaches Resident passes are $20 and are valid for two years They can be purchased at the town clerk’s office in Town Hall and by mail though qualified town residents are eligible to apply for a guest permit for a fee The application must be filled out by the resident with a notarized affidavit affirming the person is their guest.  No dogs are allowed on town public beaches during the summer season Cutchogue-New Suffolk Park District: The beaches of the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Park District are private beaches A district parking pass is required to park on site during the season and is available for residents only No day passes are available to nonresidents.  Southold Park District: The beaches of the Southold Park District are reserved for property owners in the district They can obtain an annual Southold Park District sticker by visiting the park attendant’s booth at Founders Landing or applying via mail Non-property owners have the option to purchase a seasonal permit for $160 to gain access to the district’s parks and beaches or can pay a daily rate to enter Emerson Park Orient-East Marion Park District: These beaches are exclusively available to Orient and East Marion residents.  New York State: The North Fork is home to three New York State Beaches: Orient Beach State Park Wildwood State Park  in Wading River and Hallock State Park Preserve in Riverhead These beaches are open to both residents and nonresidents with parking fees that vary with the time of year Empire Passes can be used for vehicle entry into any of these parks NYS residents age 62 or older can enjoy free weekday vehicle access to most state parks (excluding holidays) by presenting their New York State driver’s license or non-driver identification card at the entrance.  Suffolk County: Riverhead’s Indian Island County Park is part of the Suffolk County Beaches system Wading RiverWhy visit: Located on the Sound Wading River Beach is Riverhead Town’s westernmost beach with amenities including public restrooms and a sandy playground Permit required: Parking by Riverhead Town permit only Reeves BeachWhere: Off Park Road in Baiting HollowWhy visit: With stunning views from its bluffs this Sound-side beach features seasonal lifeguards and a gazebo for relaxation One of its notable attractions is “The Wrecks”—the remnants of five ships from the 1930s that can be seen via a short hike west of the parking lot entrance South Jamesport BeachWhere: South Jamesport Beach Peconic Bay BoulevardWhy visit: Featuring tennis and pickleball courts this spot is perfect for an action-packed day at the beach Conveniently located near the East Creek boat launch the beach ensures accessibility with amenities like a ramp and beach wheelchairs (available on request) picnic tables and a seasonal refreshment stand.Permit required: Parking by Riverhead Town permit only Iron Pier BeachWhere: Pier Avenue and Bayberry Lane this beach attracts visitors who come to watch the waves crash against its mighty iron pier It’s a prime location to catch breathtaking sunsets over the Sound It also offers several family-friendly amenities including picnic tables a playground and seasonal public bathrooms Hallock State Park PreserveWhere: 6062 Sound Ave. RiverheadWhy visit: The 225-acre public preserve features a series of trails including a quarter-mile gravel path that leads to a Sound-side beach This mile-long stretch of shoreline welcomes visitors year-round for activities like paddle boarding and kayaking Its wooded paths are home to a variety of wildlife ospreys and red foxes.Permit required: This state park charges $8 per day for parking during the season from May 28 to Oct Empire Pass cards and the Golden Park program are accepted Bailie Beach ParkWhere: 1901 Bailie Beach Road MattituckWhy visit: Located on the eastern side of Mattituck Inlet a rental space maintained by the Mattituck Park District that can host up to 150 guests Permit required: Bailie Beach Park is maintained by the Mattituck Park District though a Town of Southold permit is required to park along the roadend Breakwater ParkWhere: 5155 Breakwater Road MattituckWhy visit: Located on the west side of Mattituck Inlet this Soundfront beach’s rocky shores are a popular spot for anglers Permit required: Parking by Mattituck Park District permit only Veterans Memorial ParkWhere: 11280 Peconic Bay Blvd. MattituckWhy visit: With 400 feet of pristine shoreline this bayfront beach is perfect for swimming and unwinding with beach wheelchairs provided for visitors with disabilities Other amenities include a community room and recreational facilities like a bocce court New SuffolkWhy visit: This bay beach offers a safe place to swim with lifeguards and beach attendants on site venture down the road to the historic New Suffolk waterfront for a bite to eat at Minnow at the Galley Ho or Legends Permit required: Parking by Southold Town permit only family-friendly park and bayfront beach is complete with a designated swimming area for safety Bathroom facilities are available and lifeguards are on duty during the summer season to ensure a safe experience Permit required: Dave Allison Park is reserved for residents of the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Park District Parking by district permit is allowed along West Road on the northern edge of the park Parking is also available at the dead end of Pequash Avenue although a Town of Southold parking sticker is required for this area Horton Point LighthouseWhere: 3575 Lighthouse Road SoutholdWhy visit: Resting atop a serene cliff in Southold is the Horton Point Lighthouse Picnic at the outdoor tables and grills on the grounds or head to the wooden steps at the edge of the property for a walk along the rocky beach with stunning views of the Sound and Connecticut Permit required: Parking is free for Southold Park District property owners and seasonal parking permit holders visitors can pay a $5 parking fee for access to the grounds and admission to the lighthouse museum The street next to the parking lot requires a Southold Town parking permit Southold Town BeachWhere: 53005 County Road 48 SoutholdWhy visit: One of the most-used beaches in the Town of Southold it’s especially enchanting just before sunset picnic areas and beach wheelchairs for accessibility Lifeguards and beach attendants available during the season Goose Creek Beach Where: 2575 North Bayview Road SoutholdWhy visit: This beach is a well-known spot for kayaking due to its calm waters SoutholdWhy visit: Just a half-mile from McCabe’s Beach Kenney’s Beachis a quiet spot ideal for an evening stroll after grabbing a bite at nearby Little Fish Lifeguards and restrooms are available on site this rocky beach offers lifeguards and restroom facilities SoutholdWhy visit: At the end of South Harbor Road Emerson Park is a sandy beach in the Southold Park District it’s a great spot for alfresco eating at one of its picnic tables or exploring the beauty of Richmond Creek with a stand-up paddle board or kayak Permit required: Emerson Park is under the jurisdiction of the Southold Park District Property owners in the District can enter for free with a permit and non-property owners can pay a $20 daily fee per vehicle to enter the park SoutholdWhy visit: This small beach is equipped with picnic tables with lifeguards on duty during the summer season available for rental by residents for parties of up to 80 people Permit required: Founders Landing is under the jurisdiction of the Southold Park District Use of its grounds is limited to property owners in the Southold Park District Non-property owners can enter with a seasonal permit PeconicWhy visit: Opposite the County Park on Mill Road in Peconic this no-lifeguard beach is located along the west side of Goldsmith’s Inlet Klipp Marine ParkWhere: 3303 Manhanset Ave. GreenportWhy visit: Also known as Gull Pond Beach this park offers views of Shelter Island and Bug Lighthouse a boat launch area and lifeguards on duty in the summer for swimmers.Permit required: Parking by Southold Town permit only is a beloved destination for its mighty boulder formations stunning sunset views and iconic Instagrammable staircase Inlet Pond County Park Where: 64795 County Road 48 GreenportWhy visit: Inlet Pond County Park is a paradise for birdwatchers and hikers with a diverse trail system spanning about 55 acres of protected parkland the trail leads visitors past a serene pond to a picturesque Soundfront beach Permit required: A green key is required for parking Green keys can be purchased for $30 by residents and are good for three years East MarionWhy visit: Truman’s Beach in East Marion is a sought-after destination for summer swims and fall fishing Note: There are no lifeguards or restrooms at this location.Permit required: Truman’s Beach is exclusive to residents of the Orient-East Marion Park District Orient Point County ParkWhere: 41425 Main Road Orient Why visit: Travel as far east as you can and you’ll find yourself at Orient Point County Park where Gardiners Bay and Long Island Sound meet While it’s often overshadowed by the expansive state park down the road fishing and stunning views of the iconic Coffee Pot Lighthouse The park’s entrance is on the north side of NY Route 25  Permit required: A green key is required to park at Orient Point County Park Shelter Island HeightsWhy visit: Crescent Beach (aka Louis’ Beach) faces Southold and Greenport on the north and is popular for its lovely sand as well as paddle board lessons and volleyball games from adjacent hotel/restaurant Sunset Beach It’s also the site of the island’s annual fireworks celebration.Permit required: Parking by Shelter Island Town permit only Shelter IslandWhy visit: On the south side of the island restrooms and an open-air pavilion at the edge of the sand.Permit required: Parking by Shelter Island Town permit only Shelter IslandWhy visit: Overlooking Gardiners Bay with a great view of Bug Lighthouse this dog-friendly town landing is popular with long-form swimmers paddling back and forth along the shore Permit required: Parking by Shelter Island Town permit only Shelter IslandWhy visit: Located in the neighborhood of Silver Beach this narrow little tail juts out about three-quarters of a mile with West Neck Harbor to the east and Shelter Island Sound to the west Wave hello to the folks just across the way at Wades Beach There are no amenities here and part of the strip on the west side is wildlife protected But the swimming is out and out delightful and worth the bumpy long ride.Permit required: Parking by Shelter Island Town permit only FRIDAY Love Lane First Fridays / Mattituck Chamber of Commerce A cup of tea made from herbs you grew yourself is a simple What’s for supper?Grace & Grit (55750 Main Road Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Site made in collaboration with CMYK Tampa cybersecurity firm OPSWAT has inked a lease at the SkyCenter One office building for its new global headquarters.  OPSWAT, a cybersecurity firm recognized as Tampa’s top tech company announced Tuesday that it has signed the 125-month lease for a space inside the nine-story Class A building.  “One of the biggest challenges after establishing Tampa as our global headquarters was finding an office that would meet the current needs of OPSWAT’s high operational growth and offer the flexibility for future business needs,” OPSWAT CEO and founder Benny Czarny said in a news release “After much patience and a diligent vetting process I’m excited to offer our global stakeholders an open collaborative and innovative space in the heart of one of the largest critical infrastructures in the region to carry out OPSWAT’s mission.” Stephen Gorham, OPSWAT CIO & Head of Global Operations, told the St. Pete Catalyst in late January the firm was in the final stages of closing on a new office location in Tampa that will “set the tone” for OPSWAT’s presence The 31,660-square-foot office space will undergo an open-concept design and construction before the company’s 100-plus employees make the transition this fourth quarter.  OPSWAT employees will continue to operate out of its current East Lake-Orient Park office which the company obtained through its acquisition of Impulse in 2019 OPSWAT has expanded twice since operating out of the current office.  which specializes in critical infrastructure protection stated the location’s proximity to the Tampa International Airport is a major benefit for the firm as its clientele includes more than 1,000 organizations around the world.  OPSWAT’s employees can directly connect from the company’s headquarters to the airport via an elevated walkway RELATED: Here are the first tenants for a new office building at Tampa International Airport It serves as the primary office for the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority.  OPSWAT’s decision to commit to the new office space comes on the heels of OPSWAT’s significant growth and plans to go public.  We’ve grown over 200% in Tampa alone,” Gorham previously said “We are very focused on our IPO [initial public offering] planning this year We are certainly making sure we have the basis intact so when the time comes we can explore the IPO as well as grow our revenue and team members globally.”  Add your idea below. Review Catalyst posting guidelines here. By posting a comment, I have read, understand and agree to the Posting Guidelines Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" USF trustees approve revised stadium plan; construction to start Looking forward: The month of May in the arts The Catalyst honors its name by aggregating & curating the sparks that propel the St Pete engine.  It is a modern news platform, powered by community sourced content and augmented with directed coverage your perspective and your spark to the St Pete Catalyst and take your seat at the table Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value" Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2020 The St Petersburg Group Enter the details of the person you want to share this article with Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — The push of moisture came through Monday and now there is a front stalled just to our north Skies will be partly cloudy into early Tuesday morning so expect that more showers and storms will move through for Tuesday especially during the first half of the day That drier air is moving in from the north so there will be a range of rain chances from only 10 percent from Citrus County northward about 40 percent for Hernando and Pasco County but still at about 60 to 70 percent from the Bay southward Skies will go partly sunny in the afternoon with most of the showers and storms moving out Drier air will then move in Tuesday night into Wednesday Wednesday will be much drier with only a few isolated showers Otherwise it will be partly cloudy to mostly sunny with highs in the upper 80s Thursday and Friday will be dry with comfortable lows at night in the 60s to low 70s Highs during the day though will still make it to the upper 80s to low 90s as it will be mostly sunny both days — Flood advisory issued for central Pinellas County in West Central Flordia and central Hillsborough County in West Central Florida until 4 p.m..  Some locations to experience flooding:  — Klystron 9 is tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Temple Terrace to 15 miles west of Bay Pines to 50 miles west of Anna Maria Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph will be possible with these storms — Update at 2:07 pm Klystron 9 shows heavy thunderstorms in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties moving ENE — A flood advisory has been issued for Northwestern Pasco County and Southwestern Hernando County as storms move through the Bay Area.  The flood advisory is until 1:45 p.m Some locations that are expected to experience flooding include:  Show us what the weather looks like in your neighborhood Your photo could end up on Spectrum Bay News 9 2024Editor’s note: Live updates for Friday have concluded Visit tampabay.com on Saturday for continuing coverage Tampa Bay found itself picking up the pieces from another major storm just two weeks after the last one The road to recovery promises to be a long one. Although the area was spared from the worst storm surge threat, extreme winds wreaked havoc from Tropicana Field to the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. Biblical rainfall left inland residents stranded and laid waste to area sewage and drinking water systems At least 18 deaths have been reported across the state, including three in Tampa Bay. Hundreds of thousands remain without power Here’s where you can find resources, including food, FEMA and Wi-Fi. And here’s how you can help hurricane victims in Tampa Bay and beyond. power and internet were the most-hunted treasures following Milton-related outages Residents snapped photos as they passed fallen things: branches what they could see of the crane on 400 Central from a distance Coffee shops were filled with workers on Zoom and Teams explaining the storm on video calls to remote colleagues Passersby confessed to each other they hadn’t showered since the storm and asked each other where they got the food boxes they carried most stores still bore advisories from the city on their front doors warning residents near tower cranes to take precaution in advance of the hurricane now seemed ominous in retrospect: Authorities have since partially blocked the avenue after the crane on 400 Central collapsed onto a building suffered water damage to some degree and AC leaks Many stores in the area reported minimal or no damage But some employees were still managing the aftermath of Helene and Milton in their personal lives among tilted palms and sand-sprayed picnic tables a sheriff’s office car rolled slowly through a community at the beginning of recovery from the second hurricane to make landfall on Florida’s west coast in the last two weeks While the story of Hurricane Helene was written in close-call rescues drownings and flooded buildings — the wreckage of which still lines hundreds of miles of Pinellas roads — that of Hurricane Milton was defined for many by a dizzying combination of relief and exhaustion on the back of immediate heartache The Tampa Bay region was spared the surge that forecasters said could have reached 15 feet But just days after residents first returned to their homes to clean up debris from one deadly storm Though bridges to the islands were reopened on Friday Read the full story of what the Pinellas beach communities looked like on Friday here As Hurricane Milton moved toward Tampa Bay on Wednesday evening Mike Janecek had a sinking feeling that this would be “the one.” Pete Beach restaurant and bar — Paradise Grille — had taken damage from Hurricane Helene just 12 days earlier As Milton stirred in the gulf as a Category 5 hurricane Janecek feared for his beachfront community of Pass-a-Grille when the bridges to the barrier islands reopened to the public for the first time since the largest evacuation order in Florida history Janecek arrived back to a restaurant relatively unscathed I thought this was going to be the knock-out punch.” Read the full story about what the future will hold for the beloved restaurant here The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport reported significant damage from Hurricane Milton on Friday the airport said it lost its “entire roof over concourse B that covers the screening checkpoint SRQ has suffered the loss of its entire roof over concourse B that covers the screening checkpoint, and all 13 aircraft loading gates⛈️📌SRQ will remain closed until October 16th, at 9 am. The SRQ team is hard at work, we thank you for your understanding💚 pic.twitter.com/7tlg0jEsWB After hurricanes Helene and Milton left thousands of Tampa Bay homes flooded and damaged rental prices in south Hillsborough County seem to have jumped according to interviews with more than a dozen low-income residents in Wimauma spent much of Friday morning searching for rental options on Facebook and WhatsApp while trying to clear floodwater and fallen tree branches that had damaged the roof of her rental home in Wimauma the water entered from underneath her home She would like to move due to the persistent humidity mold and a hole in the roof caused by the hurricane but the rental prices make it nearly impossible “But I think not even prayers are enough.” Read more here Valrico residents Bob and Shirley Haynes hadn’t seen a flood advisory about the Alafia River for two days something told them to look outside their home “We walked into the backyard — realized the river was coming,” said Bob Haynes Hurricane Milton’s torrential downpours found their way into the headwaters of the Alafia River early Friday, resulting in the highest flooding in Lithia since 1933 Dozens of residents trapped by rising water called for help Residents ride in a boat in a neighborhood inundated by historic flooding of the Alafia River caused by Hurricane Milton on Friday in Lithia [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]6 p.m USF closes campuses until at least MondayThe University of South Florida announced its Tampa Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses will stay closed until at least Monday and asks people stay off any of its campuses until notified it is safe to do so In-person classes for Monday have been canceled except for at USF’s downtown facility USF business operations will resume remotely on Monday Videos began circulating on Instagram Thursday depicting a collapsed ceiling in the Brandon mall and floodwaters creeping through the entrance But signs of structural damage and flooding were evident Friday The inland Tampa suburb has escaped dramatic storm damage in recent years That changed with Milton An 83-year-old Lakeland man was found dead in the floodwaters of Hurricane Milton after officials say he wandered away from his home Thursday night Marco Grillo was in the late stages of Alzehimer’s disease when he and his wife started sleeping in their van at the front of their neighborhood due to floodwaters from the storm the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Grillo wandered away on Thursday night. Early Friday morning, deputies found him in the floodwaters behind the couple’s home. He is among at least 18 people who have been reported dead in the storm’s aftermath so far Port Tampa Bay’s fuel terminals revived Friday afternoon promising some relief to Tampa Bay residents struggling to find gas for cars and generators Three out of seven fuel terminals were expected to start refilling tankers by Friday evening That’s the first step to getting more fuel toward gas stations The news comes as outages have piled up following Hurricane Milton. More than three-quarters of gas stations in Tampa and St. Petersburg were out of power, gas or both as of this afternoon, according to GasBuddy, a tracking website. Statewide, nearly 30% of stations were out. Read more here. A line of cars stretches for nearly a mile along Causeway Boulevard on Friday afternoon as drivers wait to fill up their tanks at the Costco gas station in Brandon [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]5:20 p.m Power restoration key to reopening schoolsHurricane Milton has passed But its effects continue to linger as floodwaters rise around the Tampa Bay region Some schools remain as evacuation shelters as a result and several have suffered damages still being tallied So can kids go back to school on Monday, or not? Area officials are trying to figure that out. As many Floridians put their lives back together after the damage caused by Hurricane Milton officials are offering advice to avoid being scammed A few common scams to look out for: questionable contractors websites and calls from people pretending to be utility employees The Florida Department of Health keeps a running list of boil water notices across the state here, including when notices are issued and resolved Here are some local areas impacted following Milton: Here are the answers to more questions you might have about boil water notices in your area a line of cars stretched for over a mile as hundreds waited to get gas Several gas stations along the highway were backed up late into Friday afternoon almost two days after Hurricane Milton’s arrival President Joe Biden said experts estimate that damage caused from Hurricane Milton could be around $50 billion “And I want everyone in the impacted areas to know we’re going to do everything we can to let you — help you pick back up the pieces and get back to where you were,” Biden said according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the White House Coast Guard was “leading the effort” to reopen the Port of Tampa for more fuel access Rick Scott said he is optimistic Congress will come together to approve new disaster relief funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Scott hit back at critics who have pointed out his votes against relief funding before natural disasters like hurricanes Helene and Milton “They put (FEMA funding) in these gigantic bills where we never get to see what’s in it,” Scott said you didn’t vote for this gigantic bill that we have no idea what’s in it and it has this little thing that you like.’” said he spoke with President Joe Biden this week about the need to pass more funding for FEMA He said the president thanked him for pushing for FEMA money Pete-Clearwater International Airport will reopen at 4:30 a.m The terminal building sustained some water leaks that are being dried out Tampa International Airport opened at 8 a.m While west Pasco County struggled with the surge and flooding of Hurricane Milton east Pasco suffered a different type of storm Strong winds upended trees throughout Dade City pushing them across streets into roofs and over power lines The city had no power well into Friday afternoon with the resulting darkened traffic lights creating small jams at several intersections A lack of gas prompted residents to hunt for any service station with fuel creating long backups at the Flying J on State Road 52 near Interstate 75 Almost a dozen police officers were out directing cars through the area water began filling up areas of Dade City in ways that had people questioning where it came from On 21st Street headed toward Meridian Avenue a law office and car sales shop had lakes where their parking lots usually are and a small side road that many drivers use to go from Pasco High into town also was underwater Workers making repairs at Pasco High said they couldn’t remember a worse storm in the area The parking lot of Thomas Auto Mart on 21st Street in Dade City is flooded after Hurricane Milton on Friday The St. Petersburg office building into which Hurricane Milton tossed a construction crane this week, damaging several floors, has for more than a century served as the home base of local newspapers is the headquarters of the Times Publishing Co. though the company does not own the property The crane collapsed amid Hurricane Milton’s extreme winds It fell from a construction site across the street where a 46-story condominium tower known as the Residences at 400 Central is rising For the first time since Hurricane Milton hit the state Duke Energy Florida issued specific estimates Friday for when customers can expect power to be fully restored For customers in Pinellas and Pasco counties the company said that some customers will have their power restored earlier but the estimates represent when “the majority who can receive power are expected to be restored.” The news is a little better for Duke customers in Brevard, Citrus, Hernando, Highlands, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties. The company estimated their electricity would be restored by the end of the day Sunday. Read more here Power crews are seen near Tropicana Field as Hurricane Helene makes its way toward the Florida Panhandle Sept [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]3:30 p.m Patronis not worried about impacts on insurance marketBefore 2 p.m Florida’s chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis and his staff pulled up to a Pasco County staging area in the parking lot of a Bealls outlet Patronis talked with National Guard members as his press secretary Ryan Walker snapped photos of the conversation When a Tampa Bay Times reporter asked Patronis whether he was concerned about the state’s insurance industry now after back-to-back major hurricanes damaged the Tampa Bay region The insurance challenges in Florida over the past several years have been windstorm coverage While Helene ravaged densely populated Tampa Bay Most of the flood claims from Helene were handled by private players or the federal flood program and “liability is going to be borne by other players in that space.” the way I look at what the state of Florida has experienced Patronis continued: “If Milton is our one-and-done for this year just like Ian was our one-and-done in 2022 the market is meant to absorb those type of events.” What if another major hurricane were to hit the state this year “Call me back and we’ll have a deeper conversation,” Patronis said Patronis on Thursday posted on social media that he was “outraged” by the lack of pre-staging by Verizon in Polk County 1M people are without cell service after Hurricane Milton Patronis told the Times he had not had any outreach from Verizon in over 12 hours speaks with National Guard members at a Pasco County staging area in the parking lot of Bealls outlet on Friday after Hurricane Milton’s floodwaters had risen in the area [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]3:20 p.m State replenishes gas stationsThe state has re-upped about 20 gas stations with 140,000 gallons of state fuel The state has also put generators at 19 gas stations A dozen Pasco firefighters crowded around a makeshift table in a strip mall parking lot just outside New Port Richey Friday afternoon They jockeyed to grab freshly delivered pizza and pulled pork sandwiches — a luxury compared to the piles of boxed water and meals ready to eat stacked nearby These specially trained rescue workers have pulled roughly 200 Pasco residents from their deluged homes for over 24 hours More than a day and a half since Hurricane Milton battered Florida’s Gulf Coast the historic rainfall dumped inland is overrunning river banks and flooding houses along the way “We knew some residents would stick it out “There are still some people who haven’t left despite having waist-deep water in their homes They’ll change their mind eventually and we’ll have to go out there again.” Urban flooding rescues are among the most challenging a 12-year veteran of Pasco Fire and Rescue His team chainsawed their way through 3 miles of downed branches to reach one severely injured man Rescued residents echo the sentiment heard so many times in the past two weeks: “They never thought the water could get so high,” Clark said Pasco Fire and Rescue interim Chief Ryan Guynn said his department has pulled about 200 people from homes flooded by rivers swelling with water dumped by Hurricane Milton [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]2:19 p.m Debris sparks large structure fire in ClearwaterFirefighters are battling a large structure fire at a scrap metal recycling business in Clearwater The fire began at 12:12 p.m. on Gentry Drive and was caused by “appliance debris from recent hurricanes,” the city said in a news release. Officials expect the fire will be burning “for a long time.” Read more here Clearwater Fire & Rescue is on scene of a structure fire on Gentry Drive at a scrap metal #recycling business in #Clearwater. pic.twitter.com/FoWZ44v8bb Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said two unexpected sites of flooding in the city were caused by pump and generator failures during Hurricane Milton The area south of Fowler Avenue between 22nd and 30th streets where she said the city is working to pump water out at a rate of 30,000 gallons of water a minute The city has set up neighborhood support locations at Copeland Park and the Babe Zacharias Golf Course with food and sanitation supplies The support locations will be open until 7 p.m said there was no backup generator at Forest Hills but that the city will consider where to keep generators moving forward after Helene and Milton Castor also said the city is working to pump water out of the Port of Tampa where six sites that provide fuel to 17 counties are flooded She said she expects three to be cleared by the end of the day She asks residents to conserve gas where possible and that fuel will first be taken to locations most severely hit by Milton Bhide said 65% of Tampa’s traffic lights are still out He said the city is working with Tampa police and the Florida Department of Transportation to get generators or install stop signs but asks drivers to use caution after a 53-year-old woman died Thursday night at an intersection where the signals had gone dark “We really do not want this to repeat,” he said Tampa Electric’s Mary Lou Carn said TECO should be able to provide a timeline for restoration to customers still without power and has enlisted crews from as far as Canada Tampa's University Mall sits beyond a flooded Fowler Avenue in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton on Oct [ DIVYA KUMAR | Times ]— Divya Kumar Helene knocked out power for more than 1.3 million customers. But Milton nearly tripled that, causing more than 3.4 million outages statewide, according to data from poweroutages.us More than 924,000 Tampa Bay customers are still without power as of Friday afternoon, as utilities providers tackle downed trees, flooded equipment and rows of poles brought down by Hurricane Milton’s Category 3 winds. Read more here. Many Tampa Bay restaurants don’t have power and are still closed Some said they would try to open Saturday or after the weekend But as of Friday morning, these restaurants said they’re open in some capacity and ready to serve customers Why choose Florida when you know hurricanes happen But we’re not so off that we should perpetually be regarded as some kind of petting zoo goats The national media does not have to zoom in obsessively on the few leathery oldsters who refuse to leave their boats the big city reporters getting clobbered with flying debris Read the full column: “After two ferocious storms, making peace with Florida.” Busch Gardens has extended its closing to Friday and Adventure Island water park is closed Friday as well with an indefinite reopening date for both ZooTampa will remain closed while they continue clean up and recovery efforts and its Creatures of the Night event is canceled The Tampa Theatre is waiting for the power to come back on to reopen Check here for a roundup of reopenings of stores hopes to reopen after Hurricane Milton on Monday [ Courtesy of the Tampa Theatre ]1:16 p.m President Biden is heading to FloridaPresident Joe Biden will visit Florida on Sunday to survey areas damaged from Hurricane Milton including whether or not he would meet with Gov Read more here Tampa police reported another death related to Hurricane Milton after a 55-year-old woman was killed in a traffic crash on Thursday evening at the intersection of Florida and Palm avenues “Due to widespread power outages caused by Hurricane Milton and the traffic signal was inoperative,” the Tampa Police Department said in a news release The woman was a passenger in a Hyundai Tucson that was struck by a 58-year-old man driving a Nissan Sentra The woman was pronounced dead at the scene but the driver of the Tucson — identified as a 35-year-old man — was not hurt The driver of the Nissan was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries and police said he was expected to survive Police Chief Lee Bercaw reminded drivers to be cautious at intersections and treat non-functioning traffic signals as four-way stops police Chief Anthony Holloway provided an update on two deaths that were reported in Pinellas County During a news conference Friday morning, Holloway said one person died of a “medical” incident, and another person was found dead in a park. The chief did not say which park it was, and he said the medical examiner was working to determine the cause of death. Read more here Thirty-six hours after Milton hit Tampa Bay Pasco County is “seeing historical flooding in low-lying areas and near rivers and lakes,” according to a county alert Rescue officials have already responded to multiple calls this morning The county’s message to vulnerable residents: “Please LEAVE NOW and get to higher ground.” Standing in front of the crumbled wreckage of a downtown high-rise smashed by a fallen crane Ron DeSantis said the developer responsible should have used more “common sense” to take down heavy equipment before Hurricane Milton arrived He made the remarks following a news conference in which state officials provided updates about Milton recovery A reporter asked whether there should be more government regulation of cranes during extreme weather do we have to regulate everything?” DeSantis said adding that he thought taking cranes down during storms was “standard practice.” Read more about how DeSantis slammed the developer and said it was not the state’s job to prevent the accident. A construction crane is seen Thursday after falling over during Hurricane Milton into an office building that houses the Tampa Bay Times headquarters [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]12:25 p.m Manatee and Pinellas counties said Friday that flooding was zero to minimal in the jails and that everyone was safe some incarcerated people with special needs were moved to a higher floor and emergency generators were used to keep power on the jail population was moved from Orient Road employees effaced caution tape around various parts of the store cordoning off aisles and leaving shoppers to navigate a bizarre labyrinth Each strip of yellow tape warned of a section of the store slick from a spill of unknown origin Although this made navigating the aisles all the more difficult employees stood at dead ends gamely waiting to help bewildered customers the Target location found enough power to trumpet hits from Beyoncé and Michael Bublé over the loudspeaker Pinellas County Schools said nearly 80 of its schools are without power and said it’s begun repairs to damages on different campuses It said it has not yet made a decision on when to reopen schools noting that will depend on the stability of the power grid Standing in front of the crane that fell on downtown St crushing part of the office building where the Tampa Bay Times is headquartered Ron DeSantis said Florida “did not get the worst-case scenario but we did get hit and we’re going to have to work to bounce back.” said they continued bringing in more line workers yesterday to help with power restoration which she said would be done in a matter of days Seixas said about 400,000 customers in Pinellas are without power Yesterday the energy company focused on restoring critical accounts but today Duke started going “full boar” on power restoration downed power lines and wading into flood water Some of the fatalities seen across the state from Hurricane Milton were preventable Some of the fatalities related to the storm were because of “interaction with downed power lines and water,” DeSantis said Whether considered enterprising or exploitative a couple of people are offering an interesting piece of Rays history for sale on eBay — pieces of the tattered Tropicana Field roof that was shredded Wednesday night by Hurricane Milton and shows photos of the item being carried away from the stadium in downtown St On social media, X poster @lizaboth suggested the team “should sell pieces of the Trop’s roof to raise money for hurricane relief.” Pieces of the Tropicana Field roof are already being listed on eBay pic.twitter.com/p3NxM9KUxa Pinellas County authorities are shifting from lifesaving storm operations to disaster recovery — restarting a process that the county has already begun twice this year first after Hurricane Debby and again after Hurricane Helene the county’s emergency management director including 170 who have been there since Helene and the county is working on establishing step-down shelters for them Some 83% of the county is still without power That especially presents a problem for residents who rely on electricity for medical needs It also continues to pose a problem on the roads as many drivers fail to properly treat non-operational stoplights as all-way stops A Pinellas County staffer was hit in a collision Thursday night when another driver failed to follow that rule The county has so far surveyed 1,900 properties and determined about 500 are destroyed or have major damage. Residents and business owners can report damage at disaster.pinellas.gov cities and community partners are restarting debris collection operations Unincorporated residents can drop off debris at two sites: 13600 Icot Blvd in Clearwater and the corner of Keystone Road and East Lake Road in East Lake Residents in cities should check with their municipalities about debris collection Perkins noted one bright spot: Shelter staff helped deliver a baby girl “Just beautiful to see this new life in the midst of all this destruction,” she said South Pasadena and Lealman — remains under a boil water notice until Monday Residents are advised to use boiled or bottled water for drinking emergency officials across Tampa Bay pleaded with residents in low-lying areas to head to more secure shelters 14,643 people and 1,217 pets (including three squirrels a leopard gecko and a sugar glider) were bunkered down in county shelters at the peak of the storm Five of those sites were completely filled Pinellas County had approximately 11,200 people in the shelters — just under half the available capacity — along with 1,300 pets Pasco County had 5,814 evacuees and 1,315 pets in its six shelters A great majority of those people went home after the evacuation orders lifted Because several of the locations are public schools a decision on whether classes will resume Monday as anticipated before the storm remains up in the air District officials said they expect to make announcements as soon as possible A construction crane is seen Thursday after it fell over during Hurricane Milton into an office building that houses the Tampa Bay Times headquarters Ron DeSantis will speak outside of the downtown St Petersburg site where a construction crane fell during Hurricane Milton and crashed into an office building that houses the Tampa Bay Times headquarters The crane fell amid Hurricane Milton’s strong winds was from a nearby construction project The governor’s news conference will be streamed as connection allows on thefloridachannel.org or the governor’s Facebook and X pages Read more here Petersburg’s Lake Maggiore was still flooded The water level was down a little from the previous afternoon but it was still high enough on Ivanhoe Way on the northeast side of the lake to flood a Ford Ranger pickup It’s still in my yard,” Lonnie Daniels said of the water as he walked south on Dr Street into the intersection of 26th Avenue South the edge of the flooding on the north side of the lake evacuated for Hurricane Milton and the flooding prevented him from getting to his one-story home that fronts MLK Street the water was still in his yard and under his carport which the storm’s high winds had caved in on one side He thought the inside of his home was likely flooded “The water never stays on the streets this long,” he said “It’s like the lake is trying to reclaim its territory.” A man riding a bicycle north through the water on MLK Street approached the intersection where Daniels surveyed the flooding “The trick is to stay in the middle of the street and don’t turn left or right,” the man told Daniels “The water gets high as hell if you leave the center line.” Daniels’ family has owned the home on the south side of St Many of the families he remembers from childhood still live in neighboring homes The woman across the street would tell on him when he took out his mother’s car looking across the flood waters to the home he couldn’t yet reach While the worst of Milton’s wind and rain has passed many Pasco County residents now are contending with flooding as water moves through the rivers in their neighborhoods County emergency officials are particularly watching the Anclote River in west Pasco which is expected to crest at 26.7 feet at around 2 p.m. The record flood level for the Anclote was 27.7 feet in 1945 The river reached 20.7 feet in August after Hurricane Debby Trinity Boulevard has been closed for flooding over 6 feet along with several other side roads in the Elfers-Anclote area near Mitchell High School The county also is keeping an eye on Cypress Creek in the Lutz-Wesley Chapel area with a handful of nearby streets being closed because of flooding Keep track of the latest road closures here our fire rescue crews are out there staging right now,” county spokesperson Sarah Andeara said Friday morning Crews made some rescues already on Thursday The county is keeping two public shelters open — River Ridge High School Hudson — for anyone fleeing the rising river Want to know what areas are flooding in Tampa Bay? Here’s where to look. Emily WunderlichMidday Editor Divya Kumar is an education reporter. Reach her at dkumar@tampabay.com. SRQ has suffered the loss of its entire roof over concourse B that covers the screening checkpoint, and all 13 aircraft loading gates⛈️📌SRQ will remain closed until October 16th, at 9 am. The SRQ team is hard at work, we thank you for your understanding💚 pic.twitter.com/7tlg0jEsWB Clearwater Fire & Rescue is on scene of a structure fire on Gentry Drive at a scrap metal #recycling business in #Clearwater. pic.twitter.com/FoWZ44v8bb Pieces of the Tropicana Field roof are already being listed on eBay pic.twitter.com/p3NxM9KUxa TAMPA, Fla — Flooding is often synonymous with hurricanes and heavy rains in Florida. But several new studies show that between now and 2050 rising sea levels and stronger storms mean the problem will get worse for everyone And one study, in particular, published on nature.com goes on to show that black communities and lower-income communities are likely to be the most heavily hit ABC Action News spoke to environmental expert Dr Jennifer Jones at Florida Gulf Coast University about this are often located in lands that already have a lot of risk built-in they might be sited next to industrial areas Another important thing to understand is that black communities and impoverished communities historically lacked investment in flood maintenance and flood mitigation and those sorts of strategies," she said "And then I would also say that today black communities and impoverished communities are increasingly at risk because many households today lack resources to recover from a natural disaster like flooding." It's a trend researchers at the University of South Florida also noticed while working on a flood vulnerability study in Hillsborough County back in 2020 ABC Action News also reached out to leaders in the community that are working to do something about it the Executive Director at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) which brings together six bay area counties they're looking for ways to help communities can bounce back from things like flooding "We partnered with a private foundation over the last 22 months called the JPMorgan Chase Foundation We received funding from them to develop housing resilience And among the things that we are doing in this study is to look at the impact of extreme weather on homes and structures that reside in environmental justice communities because we know that folks who struggle a bit are typically the most vulnerable Sullivan told ABC Action News the results of this study will be released in May But what he can share right now is that when it comes to communities most impacted better maintenance for existing buildings is key "If we work now to become more resilient; I think our future is brighter is the highest investment in your portfolio," he said To get a better understanding of what other solutions are possible ABC Action News also spoke with Taryn Sabia the Director of the Florida Center for Community Design and Research at USF when it comes to inland flooding she tells us that more parks could be added as a possible fix "Things like floodable parks can be mechanisms of defense and can be strategies for helping to be able to direct and hold water in places where it's safe until it can dissipate And floodable parks are also a great amenity for communities because when they're not holding water; there are open spaces that can actually be used for recreation by the communities that are nearby," she said Sabia said creating a "living shoreline" is an option It means taking natural materials like plants and rocks and using them to slow water down to protect seawalls and other barriers that help prevent flooding instead of the water coming up and hitting the wall or coming over the wall and pulling the wall away a living shoreline allows the water to come up more slowly And so it has a lot less impact on the structures that may be sitting behind it," she said And while there seems to be planning in place to protect the buildings we already have ABC Action News also wanted to know how this information factors into new buildings A more obvious solution is to build higher But local developer Taylor Ralph tells us there's much more that can be done "Other things that are even further along are things like preparing a building to be flooded and actually creating the first floor that actually is planned to either flood and putting in materials that don't get ruined if they are flooded or to actually waterproof the exterior of the building to where water cannot go inside the building So those are pretty expensive or at least more expensive ideas," he said And while the development community is mulling over their own solutions Ralph added they're also having to work with local leaders to make sure everyone is on the same page "Municipalities are studying flood impacts aggressively and they're also looking at what can we do to mitigate the risk that our community has And it might start at the level of should we build in flood-prone areas Should we build in areas that we know are going to flood during a storm surge That also could be can we incentivize developers to do things that mitigate or reduce their impact on our infrastructure should this happen?" he said When it comes to bouncing back after flooding experts said skimping on insurance is not the way to go But they also acknowledge that sometimes people simply can't afford it ABC Action News recently spoke to Jake Holehouse with HH Insurance Group who said the national flood insurance program is about to raise rates in April It will be a landmark change to what homeowners pay And that is not helping matters as the Bay area continues to develop and in some spots “It’s not just a hurricane pushing water over your seawall What we are seeing more and more of is non-hurricane-type flooding and it can happen from multiple different sources So flood is really a pretty big peril that when we think about it is really any source of water coming from the outside into the house," he said flood insurance is mandatory; but the latest findings show great economic disparity for flood insurance when a homeowner’s home is paid off Holehouse told ABC Action News that as inflation takes over and flood insurance rates rise; insurance agents are seeing flood coverage take a back seat when people’s budgets get tighter “The people who can afford flood the most typically have it and those who can least afford to take the loss of a flood typical are the first ones to drop it because within their budget they believe they can’t afford it," he said it is always best to reach out to an insurance agent who can shop around the private insurance market and get you the best flood insurance rates To help provide the resiliency solutions that people in the community actually want, the TBRPC is also conducting a community survey to get some feedback. Click here to participate 2018 at 11:05 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}RUSKIN FL – The National Weather Service in Ruskin says rain is now pummeling Hillsborough Residents should brace for heavy rains and lightning The NWS said the storm moving west through Tampa Bay could bring wind gusts of 60 mph Residents should prepare for fallen trees and damage to roofs weather radar indicated strong thunderstorms located along a line extending from near Pebble Creek to Brandon Winds in excess of 30 mph are possible with these storms The area from Brandon to Plant City could receive rainfall of 2 to 4 inches Storms also are currently crossing into Pinellas County causing riptides and other dangerous beach conditions Locations impacted by the thunderstorms include Tampa Plant City Airport and Tampa Executive Airport Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm More showers and storms are expected to move into Pasco Hillsborough and Polk counties throughout the day A shed or structure in an open area is more likely to be hit by lightning Stay in the car and turn on your hazard lights until the rain stops These places are more likely to be hit by lightning Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage to computers * Use only cell phones and cordless phones that are not plugged into an outlet A power surge from an outlet could injure you Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Calvin Lewis, 50, faces a first-degree murder charge in the killing of Rodrick Randle Alexander, 32, who was shot in the early morning hours of July 14 outside the Sugar Shack at 5110 N 40th St. Lewis and Alexander got into an argument inside the club about 1:30 a.m., according to Tampa police. The two moved outside, where Lewis shot Alexander, then fled, police said. Someone picked up Alexander and took him to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he later died. Detectives interviewed witnesses, who identified Lewis as the shooter, police said. Physical evidence also linked him to the crime, according to police. After investigators obtained an arrest warrant, Tampa police and U.S. marshals began watching Lewis' home at 3730 Mistwood Drive in the East Lake-Orient Park area. On Thursday morning, he walked out of the home and was arrested. He was booked in the Hillsborough County jail and held without bail. Records show Lewis has a criminal history that includes charges of possession of cocaine with intent to sell, but he has not been in trouble for several years. His most recent arrest was in 2007 on a worthless-check charge, which was later dropped. Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Contact Dan Sullivan at dsullivan@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3386. Follow @TimesDan. Dan SullivanJustice Reporter Angel Luis Perez, whom police say shot his girlfriend and two others Saturday morning, was also questioned in the killing of her son, Dontae Leslie, Washington said. "I saw it on the news," she said, "and I was like, 'That's him!' " Leslie, 20, was shot to death early on July 15, 2009, as he slept inside his home at 6922 Baldwin Ave., in the East Lake-Orient Park area of Tampa. At the time, his family said they knew of no one who would want to do him harm. Five years later, they say they know a lot more. Perez shot Jorge Gort, 25, and Brittany Snyder, 23, Gort's girlfriend, before 2 a.m. Saturday in a home at 2501 N 54th St., according to Tampa police. The violence arose from a dispute over custody of Perez's 3-year-old nephew, police said. Afterward, Perez walked outside, got in his car, and argued with his girlfriend, Olivia Miller, 22. He shot her, then drove her to Tampa General Hospital, where she died, police said. Perez was arrested and booked in the Hillsborough County Jail on three counts of first-degree murder, among other charges. He is being held without bail. Perez was one of multiple people whose names came up when Leslie's family members, in search of answers, questioned people who knew him, Washington said. Hillsborough sheriff's officials declined to say whether Perez, 22, is considered a suspect in Leslie's death. But a name search of sheriff's records lists him as a "subject" connected to the investigation. No one has been charged in the case. "The 2009 homicide of Dontae Leslie is still an active investigation," sheriff's spokeswoman Melissa Kincheloe wrote in an email. "If the family or someone associated with the family has information about the death of Leslie, they are encouraged to contact detectives." In the days since Perez's arrest in the triple murder, a Hillsborough detective has visited Washington to talk about her son's case, she said. Contact Dan Sullivan at dsullivan@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3386. Follow @TimesDan. Josh SolomonFormer Times Reporter 2015 at 10:57 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}It’s no secret that most states have towns that people might want to avoid moving to When it comes to the worst of the worst in the Sunshine State To arrive at its “worst place to live” findings for Florida the writers at RoadSnacks looked at things that draw people to places to live “we ranked the list based on places that are the worst in all of these categories crunched the numbers and – like magic – got the list from worst to best,” the site’s writers said at the bottom of the top 100 worst places to live (according to RoadSnacks) is Meadow Woods Clearwater and Land O’ Lakes made the list much further down To check out the full list, visit RoadSnacks online. Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. As an immense demolition site of churned red earth and stacked timbers is proving, Memorial Drive’s homebuilding craze is hardly limited to Atlanta city limits Decatur-based Valor Tower Real Estate Developments has demolished houses and cleared numerous trees for a block-sized townhome venture in DeKalb County’s Belvedere Park neighborhood The hilly site is located in the 3200 block of Memorial Drive in Decatur on the south side of the six-lane thoroughfare According to site plans and renderings, the 44-unit project is called Grand Terraza at Memorial Drive (alternately “Gran Terraza,” per renderings) It’ll consist of seven separate buildings surrounding an internal park with several greenspaces dotted throughout Norcross-based APC Contractors is building the project initial plans were altered after Belvedere Park neighbors complained of a lack of visitor parking created by the townhomes along Julian Street Internal streets were expanded for 23 parking spaces for townhome visitors on special occasions and Valor Tower is also widening Julian Street to 24 feet for more space The addition of denser housing types is part of DeKalb County’s overarching plan to revitalize Memorial Drive an important commuting corridor linking Stone Mountain to downtown Atlanta We’ve asked the development team for info on townhome sizes and estimated pricing and we’ll update this story should further details come find more context and design plans in the gallery above • Near East Lake Golf Club, mixed-use Ella project debuts (Urbanize Atlanta)  Receive emails and newsletters to keep in touch with I LOVE NY Updated: 02/13/2025 | Originally published 04/05/2023 Herringtons Pumpkins is open early-May through October While you’re in the area visit: Buskirk Covered Bridge a 158-foot-long span built in 1857 stretching over the Hoosic River making for a charming selfie setting in any season.  The Tulip Festival and Farm Adventure open in April.   While you’re in the area visit: Long Island Aquarium features one of the largest all-living coral reef displays in this hemisphere, a 120,000-gallon shark tank, sea lion shows, touch tanks, and more. Quogue Wildlife Refuge where you can spot diverse wildlife while exploring seven miles of trails winding through forests and ponds Both farms are open spring through late-summer.  While you’re in the area visit: Splish Splash Water Park for thrilling water rides, Orient Beach State Park for a relaxing beach escape, and Castello di Borghese Vineyard & Winery to savor the flavors of Long Island’s “founding” winery Sip delicious Long Island wine, listen to live music, and savor scenic sunflower views at Pindar Vineyards’ Peconic location Forage the sprawling sunflower field for your favorite flowers and take home a custom bouquet during Pindar’s “Sunflowers for Wishes'' event where proceeds are donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Hold a glass of “wine made by the wind” while you pose among the yellow blooms and a backdrop of Southold’s largest windmill While you’re in the area visit: Long Island’s renowned North Fork Wine Country. Cutchogue Green Historic Buildings a National Historic Landmark with structures dating back to 1649 Frolic through magical fields while you choose from an endless assortment of whimsical wildflowers to create your own one-of-a-kind bouquet at Hudson Wildflower Co Purchase your “u-pick” container and start foraging through the field.  After you finish picking flowers and taking photos head to the farm stand and grab a glass of wine or peruse the shop Look out at the gorgeous view from the shaded picnic tables while you arrange your collection of beautiful blossoms a 1.26-mile pedestrian path on a former railroad bridge stretching over the Hudson River Soak up the sun, breathe in the fresh air, and admire the sight of over three acres of flower fields bursting with color at Brittany Hollow Farm in Rhinebeck Create your own centerpiece and fill your “u-pick” flower bucket to your heart's desire or head over to the flower wagon where you’ll find mason jars filled with vibrant pre-arranged bouquets Don’t forget to bring your bouquet bucket the next time you visit for a discounted price Brittany Hollow Farm “u-pick” flowers are open daily from late-June through the beginning of October.  While you’re in the area visit: The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum & Air Shows to witness WWI era airplanes take flight, and Downtown Rhinebeck for unique shops and beautiful views of the Catskills and Hudson River Take a leisurely walk through five acres of tulips six acres of bright yellow sunflower fields and rows of enchanting wildflowers at Kelder’s Farm Let out your inner child and pick from thousands of blooming sunflowers and more than 15 varieties of flourishing wildflowers for your “u-cut” arrangement Everyone can experience life on the farm at one of 30 attractions including a petting zoo snap a photo next to the giant garden gnome “U-cut” wildflowers take place from June - September “U-cut” sunflowers take place from August through early-September.  Get lost in the beauty of 128 acres of rolling green pastures and vibrant wildflowers and sunflowers at Germantown Farms Stroll through pesticide-free fields of color while “u-pick” flowers for your unique bouquet a portion of the proceeds from “u-pick” sales go to local Germantown non-profits witness the farm’s magical butterfly immersion experience While you’re in the area visit: Lake Taghkanic State Park for beautiful lake views While you’re in the area also visit: Zoom Flume Water Park for water adventure and family fun or admire an aerial view of the Catskills on the Hunter Mountain scenic sky ride New York’s largest wildlife refuge and animal haven Appreciate the beauty of nature with buzzing bees and aisles of blooming wildflowers just 30 minutes south of Buffalo Take a look at one-and-a-half acres of “u-pick” flowers (by appointment only) Drop by the shop for pre-arranged unique American-grown flowers while supporting local agriculture Break away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and find peace in 100 acres of lively sunflower fields and bees while you pick the perfect bunch of sunflowers and tons of sunflower-themed accessories in the shop Sunflowers of Sanborn is open August through mid-September.  While you’re in the area visit: Niagara Falls State Park for historic, jaw-dropping views of the United States' oldest state park, and the Aquarium of Niagara for ocean discoveries and marine animals Enjoy serene views and endless displays of lavender, dahlias, and peonies at Bristol Hills Lavender and Flower Farm Surround yourself with the aroma of fresh flowers and views of the rolling Bristol hills while you learn about the farm on a Peony Tour Lay out a blanket and have a picnic surrounded by bright purple lavender or find a spot at one of the tables in the 200-year-old historic barn at one of the farm’s Friday Picnic Nights over the summer Don’t forget to check out Bristol Hills’ shop Bristol Hills Farm is open May-September.  While you’re in the area visit: Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park to stroll through flower–filled gardens and tour the magnificent mansion. Take a historic boat tour aboard the Canandaigua Lady a 19th century replica of a double decker paddlewheel boat Spend the day adventuring through flower fields and exploring over 30 attractions like the jumping pillow, mini golf, train ride, farm animals and more at Wickham Farms Breathe in the fragrance of fresh lavender (and delicious food) on a scenic hayride through the lavender field from June through August Come back for the Sunflower Spectacular from August - September to roam 10 acres of sunflower fields and choose from 30 sunflower varieties for your “u-cut” bouquet Keep your cameras at the ready and hunt for the farm's unique photo-ops like the sunflower swing Enjoy the great outdoors while you celebrate sunshine and summer at Stokoe Farm’s Sunflower Experience Capture the beauty of the bright yellow blooms alongside breathtaking views of Scottsville in the sunflower fields Leave time for exciting farm activities like the low ropes course check out Stokoe’s Twilight Sunflowers event where you can witness the moment when the sunflowers gently bow their heads to the setting sun While you’re in the area visit: The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum and take a mile-and-a-half train ride through the historic museum grounds Fresh air, quality time, and rows of over 150,000 tulips in every color await you at Central New York’s first “u-pick” tulip field! Follow the half-mile round-trip walking trail through a tulip wonderland as you snap pictures of North Star Orchard’s vibrant hues and choose which blooms to add to your “u-cut” bouquet stop by the market for seasonal fresh produce and pre-arranged bouquets North Star Orchard reopens mid-April.  While you’re in the area visit: The Oriskany Museum to learn about the Battle of Oriskany and the village’s rich history.   Bring your country dreams to life in the heart of the Adirondacks with beaming yellow “pick-your-own” sunflowers, adorable farm animals, wagon rides, and more at Country Dreams Farm Get to know the farm on a tour or wagon ride snap pictures in the mesmerizing sunflower fields then say hi to the pygmy and fainting goats Country Dreams Farm is open May - October.   While you’re in the area also visit: Cumberland Bay State Park for a relaxing experience on the north shore of Lake Champlain and the North Country Cuisine Trail winding through picturesque roads and quaint villages while you explore local products Share New York State adventures with us on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter with #ILoveNY and #iSpyNY, and tag us on Facebook Emma Frisbie is the Digital Content Coordinator for ILOVENY.com Cookies are used for measurement, ads, and optimization. By continuing to use our site you agree to our privacy policy 800 CALL NYS · info@iloveny.com Home of the Free Beer & Hot Wings Morning Show Do you have a secret swimming spot? A place so special you want to keep it to yourself? Lake George, Skaneateles Lake and Lake Placid, to name a few, are no longer secrets but with more than 7,600 freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs in New York State according to the DEC there are a few gems you might not know about Here are New York States Top 3 - Best Secret Beaches Family Destinations Guide surveyed approximately 3,000 families across the United States to see which beaches they most wanted to visit this summer Hawaii dominates this list with 3 beaches in the Top 5 but New York State has 3 in the Top 100 The biggest surprise for me is that Alaska made the Top 100 twice New Jersey and Vermont made the list as well As for New York State here are the Top 3 - Best Secret Beaches #3 Best Secret Beach in New York State - Chimney Bluffs State Park Chimney Bluffs State Park is located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and features dramatic rock formations that look similar to a chimney This is a good place to bring the kids and the dogs #2 Best Secret Beach in New York State - Orient Beach State Park Orient Beach State Park is located on the far eastern tip of the north fork of Long Island #1 Best Secret Beach in New York State - Amsterdam Beach Preserve Amsterdam Beach Preserve is located in Montauk Long Island, refer to by the locals as the Montauk Moorlands features nearly 1,300 feet of undeveloped ocean frontage Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler Gallery Credit: Keri Wiginton New York State has some famously amazing beaches and some you might not have heard of, until now. Here are the Top 3 Best Secret Beaches in New York\nRead More Do you have a secret swimming spot? A place so special you want to keep it to yourself? Lake George, Skaneateles Lake and Lake Placid, to name a few, are no longer secrets but with more than 7,600 freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs in New York State according to the DEC Family Destinations Guide surveyed approximately 3,000 families across the United States to see which beaches they most wanted to visit this summer #3 Best Secret Beach in New York State - Chimney Bluffs State Park #2 Best Secret Beach in New York State - Orient Beach State Park #1 Best Secret Beach in New York State - Amsterdam Beach Preserve - Total score: 51.6- Affordability rank: #45- Weather rank: #72- Safety rank: #103- Economy rank: #115- Education & health rank: #129- Quality of life rank: #18 Pensacola offers residents great proximity to some world-renowned beaches stands as on of the first European settlement in the New World Downtown Pensacola features block after block lined with shops 2012 at 2:58 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Sunken Meadow State Park will see a new playground installed thanks to $1.35 million allocated to state parks from the Governor's New York Works initiative “It is important that children have a safe and engaging place to play andthese NY Works projects will give them just that in State Parks across NewYork,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo in a statement on Thursday “The numbers tell the story of more and more people visiting the parks and I encourage everyone to visit these new and improved areas inside the state parks as well as the beauty that New York has to offer.” Sunken Meadow will see a new 'Animal Habitats' themed playground installed including birds nest and hollow log climbing features near field four east Construction is expected to take place in the off-season the new Sunken Meadow State Park playground area with a theme on ‘animal habitats’ will be yet another reason for the families of Smithtown as well as those from across Long Island and the state to enjoy the natural beauty and recreational opportunities of this jewel on the Long Island Sound.” “Our state parks are so important to New York’s families and future that it is important that we continue to improve and protect them whenever possible By utilizing the funding that was approved jointly by the governor and the legislature state parks is honoring our state’s commitment to all our residents and visitors who use these facilities now and in the future I applaud this program and all efforts to improve Other state parks that will see improvement include Orient Beach in Orient and Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead Montauk Point State Park and Valley Stream State Park Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Cycling: Long Island's North ForkNorthJersey  Now that summer weather is just around the corner you should consider the pleasures of bicycling on Long Island’s “North Fork” as an alternative to the more crowded Hamptons area of the “South Fork.” is only a 55-mile drive from Fort Lee. What has been described to be “Long Island’s first bed and bike inn” opened in Stony Brook and is a fine jumping-off point for bike touring on Long Island’s North Shore and eastward out to Orient Point at the end of the North Fork You can also stay at inns or motels right on the Long Island Sound on the North Fork itself such as the Sound View Inn or the Sunset Motel The new B&B is called the “Stony Brookside Bed & Bike Inn,” and it is located next to a duck pond and historic grist mill Visit www.stonybrookvillage.com for more information When touring on the North Fork’s Sound Avenue (Route 48) you will pass a procession of farms and wineries (with tasting opportunities) and there are charming towns on or near the water such as Greenport is the Orient Point Lighthouse and State Park Closer to Stony Brook are the harbor town of Port Jefferson and the State University of New York University at Stony Brook A biking Greenway currently runs from Setauket to Port Jefferson and is due to be extended east to Wading River There is a ferry from Port Jefferson across the Long Island Sound to Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Blue Fish minor league baseball team plays within walking distance of the ferry terminal you can ferry over to Shelter Island and then to the South Fork The largest cycling club in the area is the Suffolk Bike Riders Association and you can find helpful advice about two-wheeled travel at www.sbraweb.org Other resources include the book Short Bike Rides on Long Island the websites www.bicyclelongisland.org and www.bikearoundlongisland.com and the maps for touring local wineries by bike offered at www.northforker.com The New York State Department of Transportation provides biking advice at www.dot.ny.gov and a printed map called Long Island Bikeways and Trailways Bikes can be transported on the Long Island Railroad by purchasing a lifetime permit for $5.00 The permit is also valid for Metro-North trains Folding bikes can be brought on board at any time.If you are passing through Riverhead which is the Suffolk County Seat and the spot where the North and South Forks split you can cycle to the nearby town of Flanders and see “The Big Duck,” which is the world’s largest duck built in the 1930’s to promote the business of a local duck farmer While many restaurant menus still feature Long Island Duckling the actual business of duck farming has just about disappeared from the island think about taking a break from New Jersey and riding in eastern and northern Long Island for sun colorful harbors and plenty of local wine Today's "Cycling" article is written by Keith Danish and provided by Ethan Brook members of The Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey BTCNJ meets at the Ridgewood Library on the second Thursday of the month the Ramapo Rally is open to the public and will be held on Sunday As 5G continues to roll out across the US, it’s important to take a look at the coverage from each of the three major networks in the US. That includes AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon but we don’t expect that to be nationwide for a few more years still 5G is available “nationwide” but that doesn’t mean that there is coverage in every single US city. On top of that, carriers are also adding capacity to these cities, so as more devices connect to their 5G network, they are able to keep the speeds up. T-Mobile for one is adding capacity to over 1,000 cities as we speak This article will be routinely updated as 5G rolls out to more and more cities AT&T is rolling out both Sub-6 and mmWave 5G networks right now which is starting to roll out in major cities and at major venues now mmWave will mostly be available at stadiums T-Mobile is working on rolling out its 5G layer cake then some added capacity with the 2.5GHz spectrum and in dense areas you’ll get mmWave for the faster speeds Currently there are only six cities with mmWave available (and the entire 5G layer cake) Verizon’s network is expanding pretty quickly though they did start building it out a bit differently from its competitors While AT&T and T-Mobile focused on Sub-6 5G first there’s plenty of jokes about how bad the coverage is But it does now have Sub-6 rolled out nationwide because that is the same spectrum as its 4G LTE network Verizon spent a whopping $52.9 billion to secure more C-Band spectrum in an FCC auction in 2021 Verizon is expecting to cover around 100 million people with this new spectrum by March 2022 C-Band is Sub-6 5G spectrum that ranges from 3.7GHz to 4.2GHz Which would help Verizon compete with T-Mobile’s 2.5GHz spectrum it got from buying Sprint Verizon 5G Home is available in these cities: each of the carriers use different bands for 5G Below is a quick cheat sheet to find out which bands are used by which carriers This can be very useful for those that are buying an unlocked smartphone to use on a 5G network in the US There will be more bands added as the C-Band spectrum is rolled out and baked into these networks And as older 3G and 4G LTE networks are sunset We’ve talked a lot about mmWave vs Sub-6 5G networks in the past Sub-6 is basically any spectrum that is under 6GHz as the lower spectrum is better with coverage but doesn’t offer as much capacity for speed This is what T-Mobile used to launch its nationwide 5G network as it is essentially the same spectrum that is used for 4G LTE You’ve likely seen those speed tests of 1GBPS or eve 2GBPS on a smartphone but the coverage on mmWave networks is completely garbage The incredible Gigabit speeds that 5G promises but also the great coverage that allows it to work indoors But they are not the only carriers that have 5G service Most prepaid and MVNO carriers that run on these networks have access to their 5G network they are the same price as their 4G LTE plans were which is working to roll out its own 5G network Dish has been buying spectrum over the past decade or so which means it has a pretty substantial warchest And it also bought Boost Mobile and Sprint’s 800MHz spectrum from T-Mobile (in order for regulators to approve of the T-Mobile/Sprint deal) So they have the means to build out a 5G network but building out a 5G network nationwide is not easy or quick to do Many are not expecting this to be done until 2025 at the earliest So there are plenty of choices when it comes to 5G carriers, and if you want to learn more about their plans, you can click here Most carriers are not charging extra for 5G Though some of their plans may be charging extra Like Verizon’s mmWave network is not included in its cheapest unlimited plan and it’s fairly likely that there is 5G available in your city