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PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A number of Pinellas County residents spent their day driving around flooded neighborhoods and checking on people who stuck around for Idalia.
Frank Furman was one of those on a mission Wednesday, and he allowed Spectrum Bay News 9 to join him for a ride-along.
Use the video above to watch Jeff Van Sant’s report.
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Jeff Van Sant
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CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Air boats were used Wednesday to rescue dozens of people from high waters, as Citrus County continues to clean up after Hurricane Idalia.
Sheriff Mike Prendergast said he saw things during the storm that he had never seen happen in Crystal River.
“I’ve never seen a dumpster floating down Highway 19, but I saw two of those today,” he said.
Angel Lockley and her family watched as the boats came in, one after another, rescuing stranded residents.
“I’m glad that they’re safe now and hopefully their homes are not damaged,” Lockley said.
Use the video player above to watch Fallon Silcox’s full report.
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Fallon Silcox
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We’ll be using this page to update our viewing area on school impacts due to Idalia.
NEW: The school system will reopen Friday.
In a statement Thursday, the district said: “After receiving the latest update from Emergency Management officials and having assessed the damages in our facilities sustained from Hurricane Idalia, I am pleased to share that schools will be reopen tomorrow Friday, September 1st. Should you have any issues or concerns, please contact the administration at your school. As always, we appreciate your time, understanding, and patience during these uncertain times.”
Due to the coastal impact in our county from Hurricane Idalia, schools are continuing to be used as shelters.
School will be cancelled, Thursday, Aug. 31.
After the next high tide, more info regarding a projected date of school reopening will be announced.
All Hernando County schools and district offices will reopen Thursday, Aug. 31.
Students impacted by coastal flooding will be provided an excused absence.
Hillsborough County Schools are reopening on Thursday, Aug. 31.
All Manatee District Schools will reopen Thursday, August 31.
All Pasco County schools will be open on Thursday, August 31.
This includes athletics, PLACE, Delta, Star, and all other extracurricular activities.
Schools will be open for normal operations on Thursday, August 31.
All Polk County schools and offices will reopen Friday, Sept. 1.
University of Central Florida: UCF will resume standard operations on Thursday, Aug. 31.
University of Florida: UF to resume normal operations on Thursday, Aug. 31.
University of South Florida: USF says classes will resume Thursday, Aug. 31, except for classes at Mote Marine.
University of Tampa: Regular operations are scheduled to resume Thursday, Aug. 31 at noon.
St. Petersburg College: Campuses/sites open and all classes resuming — on Thursday, Aug. 31.
Florida State University: Classes and normal university operations will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
FAMU: Classes and Universtiy operations remain suspended through Friday, Sept. 1. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Polk State College: PSC classes and operations will resume Thursday, Aug. 31.
Keiser University: Classes will resume at the following Keiser University campuses on Thursday, August 31, 2023. All campuses will be open for regular operations unless otherwise noted.
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Spectrum News Staff
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CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — It started with a blast of wind-driven rain at 6 a.m.
An inner rain band of Hurricane Idalia lashed Kings Bay in Crystal River late Tuesday, pushing the first of feet of storm surge toward land.
That surge continued to rise Wednesday, knocking on the door of neighborhoods and dozens of small town businesses.
“This water has risen in an hour from walking back there to up to your waste,” said Marty Hoffman, whose son works on commercial fishing boats in Crystal River. He came to try and help workers from losing the boats as the surge quickly pushed in.
“There’s four commercial fishing boats back there that they are trying to keep from floating into buildings,” he said.
Away from the docks, there’s water where it’s not supposed to be.
Meanwhile, along the North Citrus Avenue shopping district, businesses owners threatened by rising water could only watch Wednesday afternoon, waiting to see how long the inshore winds will push water in.
Aside from the storm surge, more than 3,000 power outages are being reported.
And at least one fire was reported, an electrical fire, potentially due to storm surge.
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Jason Lanning
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The Tampa Bay area is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia.
The hurricane made landfall Wednesday morning at 7:45 at Keaton Beach in Taylor County with 125-mph winds.
The storm brought heavy rain, winds and flooding to the Bay area.
Use our Live Updates feed below for updates from our reporters in the field, Weather Experts in the Spectrum Bay News 9 studio, and more.
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Spectrum News Staff
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TAMPA, Fla. — Major Hurricane Idalia has made landfall.
The storm and its 125-mph winds made landfall over Keaton Beach. Catastrophic storm surge and winds are expected to continue impacting the Big Bend of Florida.
Idalia continues to move NNE at 18 mph through what has been a favorable environment for intensification. It’s located 90 miles northwest of Cedar Key, where “catastrophic storm surge and destructive winds” are expected.
The low-lying marsh area faced a predicted storm surge of up to 15 feet.
A state of emergency is in effect for 49 Florida counties, including:
Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, and Wakulla counties.
Hurricane force winds reach out 25 mph from the center. Rain bands have produced gusts over 60 mph around Tampa Bay. Water levels are still increasing for the Nature Coast. Seven to 11 feet of surge is still expected.
Water levels around Tampa Bay are at 4 feet above the astronomical tide as of 5:30 am. Many roads are flooded. Water levels will stay high all day.
Rain bands can continue to produce tornadoes across the Bay area. A Tornado Watch and a Flood Watch continue.
While the exact track of the center will determine where the worst storm surge will end up, the rain bands will continue to impact the entire region through the morning hours.
That means gusty winds and heavy rain along with a threat of tornadoes. We will monitor Klystron 9 for rotation and to track the center of Idalia as it moves north through the Gulf. Polk, Citrus and Hernando counties were under brief tornado warnings Wednesday morning.
Coastal areas will see the strongest storms, but there will be gusty squalls far inland that rotate around the large circulation of Idalia.
The west coast of Florida is highly susceptible to storm surge so there is a threat of significant, life-threatening impacts.
TIMING:
Tropical storm-force winds are impacting the Tampa Bay area.
WINDS:
Widespread tropical storm force winds are forecast (39-73 mph), even inland. This will cause downed trees and power outages.
Hurricane force winds (74+) primarily impact the Nature Coast. Any change in the future track will cause changes to the forecast.
TORNADOES:
Models show numerous strong thunderstorms and gusty squalls tomorrow along the coast. Some of these will produce a few fast moving tornadoes.
STORM SURGE FORECAST:
Storm surge will also be a threat to areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bay News 9 Meteorologist Juli Marquez states that, “astronomical tides will be high with a full moon, so storm surge will be more impactful.”
Storm Surge Warnings are now in effect for from Englewood northward to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay.
Storm Surge Watches are also in effect for the Florida Gulf Coast from Chokoloskee to Englewood and the mouth of the St. Marys River to South Santee River in South Carolina.
Peak Storm Surge:
Levy/Citrus Counties: 7-11 feet AGL
Hernando/Pasco Counties: 6 to 9 feet AGL
Tampa Bay Area: 4-7 feet AGL on coast, 3-6 feet in Tampa Bay
Sarasota: 3-5 feet
A Flood Watch has been issued for our area. Idalia could bring 4 to 8 inches of rain. Locally higher amounts are possible. This could lead to street flooding and flooding of poor drainage areas.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS ALONG THE NATURE COAST:
Tides are running much higher than normal due to the Super Moon, which could contribute to a higher storm surge in some areas.
HIGH TIDE FORECAST:
Crystal River:
3:14 p.m. Tues.
4:59 a.m. Wed.
4:09 p.m. Wed.
Ozello:
2:19 p.m. Tues.
4:04 a.m. Wed.
3:14 p.m. Wed.
Bayport:
12:53 p.m. Tues.
2:38 a.m. Wed.
1:46 p.m. Wed.
Tarpon Springs:
11:30 a.m. Tues.
1:23 a.m. Wed.
12:33 p.m. Wed.
Clearwater Beach:
10:47 a.m. Tues.
12:32 a.m. Wed.
11:42 p.m. Wed.
St. Petersburg:
12:54 p.m. Tues.
3:32 a.m. Wed.
1:53 p.m. Wed.
Gulfport:
11:22 p.m. Tues.
2:00 a.m. Wed.
12:21 p.m Wed.
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Spectrum News Staff
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Our Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather Experts have broken down, by county, what to watch for with Idalia. For the latest forecast updates, you can check here.
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Tropical Storm Warning
Winds (coast): 30 to 40 mph, gusts to 60
Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 40
Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts near the coast
Storm Surge Warning
The potential for up to 5 to 8 feet above ground within surge prone areas
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Tropical Storm Warning
Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50
Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts near the coast
Storm Surge Warning
The potential for up to 5 to 8 feet above ground within surge prone areas
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Hurricane Warning
Winds (coast): 35 to 45 mph, gusts to 70
Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50
Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts
Storm Surge Warning
The potential for up to 6 to 9 feet above ground within surge prone areas
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Hurricane Warning
Winds: 30 to 40 mph, gusts to 65
Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts
Storm Surge Warning
The potential for up to 4 to 6 feet above ground within surge prone areas
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Hurricane Warning
Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50
Rainfall: Additional 3 to 6 inches, locally higher amounts
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Hurricane Warning
Winds (inland): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50 mph
Winds (coast): 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 55 mph
Rainfall: Additional 2 to 4 inches, locally higher amounts
Storm Surge Warning
The potential for up to 4 to 6 feet within surge prone areas
Main impact: Until Wednesday afternoon
Tropical Storm Warning
Winds: 20 to 30 mph, gusts to 50 mph
Rainfall: Additional 1 to 3 inches, locally higher
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
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Spectrum News Weather Staff
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Many Floridians are preparing for Idalia, and soon many will be searching for gas as the storm gets closer.
With the GasBuddy Outage Tracker, drivers can search for gas stations nearby, as well as filter by the following criteria:
Click/Tap on the image below to locate gas stations near you and check their status. For the best results, be sure to share you location. You can also track outages on your phone by downloading the GasBuddy app for Android or iOS.
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Spectrum News Staff
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Share your weather photos with us and you may see them on our newscast.
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Dan Trotter
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TAMPA, Fla. — After an investigation into reports of contaminated gas from the Port of Tampa being delivered to multiple gas stations, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Tuesday that 17 stations remain under a stop sale order.
State officials announced Sunday that it had identified a potentially widespread fuel contamination caused by human error at the Port of Tampa that impacted gas stations in the Tampa Bay area supplied by Citgo.
Any fuel purchased from 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 27, at impacted stations has a strong likelihood of being contaminated with diesel fuel.
Impacted stations were ordered to stop selling gas until the contaminated fuel is replaced and tanks are cleaned. Once the stations are cleared or have completed a corrective action plan fuel will once again be safe for purchase.
“I am grateful to the hard-working men and women at FDACS who responded to this incident swiftly and thoroughly,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “It is never good to have such a catastrophic error for consumers, but particularly during a time when Floridians are evacuating from a potentially dangerous storm. I firmly believe our department was able to mitigate what could have been a worse situation. We stand ready to assist those whose vehicles and equipment were impacted by contaminated fuel.”
State officials also said there are no reports of disrupted fuel supply in the region.
After emergency inspections and testing, FDACS has determined the following:
Six stations did not receive the contaminated fuel shipment:
Dan’s Car Wash: 39522 US Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs
7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday
7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia
Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota
Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota
2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa
Eight stations have been inspected, remediated, and cleared by FDACS for fuel sales:
7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral
7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral
7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral
7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres
Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
PJI LLC: 7977 W Dunnellon Road, Dunnellon (Regular and premium fuel was not contaminated, only diesel fuel)
17 stations remain under a stop sale order pending laboratory confirmation:
7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland
7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville
7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City
BJ’s Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral
BJ’s Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers
BJ’s Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes
Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva
Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte
Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson
JHW #310 – DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams St., Dunellon
AL Prime – Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach
Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla
Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa
Rogers Petroleum: 134 N Desoto Ave., Arcadia
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Spectrum News Staff
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