If you are viewing this story via our mobile app, click here.
Heavy overnight rain flooded low-lying and costal areas around Tampa Bay on Sunday morning, leading to closed roads and comparisons to Hurricane Idalia.
Videos posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, show cars stranded on flooded roads in St. Pete Beach, Maderia Beach and Gulfport.
9:33 a.m.: Streets flooded in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres
Shore Acres, the northeast St. Petersburg neighborhood hard-hit by flooding after Hurricane Idalia, is once again seeing saturated streets and damage from this weekend’s storm.
At 9:18 a.m, a duo of firefighters with St. Pete Fire Rescue trudged through knee-deep water on the corner of Shore Acres Blvd NE and 46th Ave NE.
Aaron Bruckler, a firefighter, was called to respond to an electrical house fire in Shore Acres. The roads were impassable, Bruckler said, so the duo was forced to launch a skiff to check on the house.
”We got sent out here for a house fire,” yelled Bruckler as he waded through dirty floodwaters. “They called 911 saying their house was on fire.”
Bruckler said he had to hike about a mile into the inundated neighborhood when traveling by boat became impossible.
— Max Chesnes
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/EYH6S6E2GJDIBDUI3U34SXPAQQ.jpg "Firefighters with St. Pete Fire Rescue walk through water on the corner of Shore Acres Blvd NE and 46th Ave NE on Sunday.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/J3A7NCUHPJGQHIQ2M3Z66SGBVQ.jpg "Resident Valerie Childress walks through a flood near the intersection of 62nd Avenue NE and Bayou Grande Boulevard NE on Sunday in St. Petersburg.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/U6R2BUWSFJGZBKNJRZGDRS6R4Q.jpg "A vehicle drives through high water near the intersection of 62nd Avenue NE and Bayou Grande Boulevard NE on Sunday in St. Petersburg.")
9 a.m. Power outages around Tampa Bay
Duke Energy was reporting about 5,000 customers without power in Pinellas County as of about 9 a.m. Sunday. The biggest chunks appeared to be in Gulfport and in nearby areas of St. Petersburg. TECO was reporting about 800 outages. — Chris Tisch, Times staff writer
8:45 a.m. Gulfport streets flooded, shops took some water
In Gulfport, Shore Boulevard was under water and at least one car appeared to be stalled out in high water near the Casino. People at businesses on Beach Boulevard were using big brooms to push out water that had gotten into their buildings, which they said is not uncommon. Will Childers, manager of Paw Paws pet boutique, said the flooding wasn’t as bad as Hurricane Idalia earlier this year, when at least an inch of water seeped inside. He said the flooding this time was less than a half-inch. Still, he said the flooding was unexpected. “It surprised us all,” he said, “because they said it was not going to be as bad as this.” — Chris Tisch, Times staff writer
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/X6J6Q27TTNAGLLLDIFPLNBLL7I.JPG "Spend your days with Hayes")
Spend your days with Hayes
Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter
Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday.
You’re all signed up!
Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
Explore all your options
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/5TC6GHEYP5ASVCJUOW4VTTZCRU.jpg "Water is seen flooding the street in front of the Gulfport Casino Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 in Gulfport.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/EGHD4W44GFAVZOWJZKIU2HB2OY.jpg "Karen Love pushes flood water out of Zaiya Artizen Market along Beach Boulevard Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 in Gulfport.")
There also appeared to be significant flooding in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood, which suffered widespread damage during Idalia.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TLAGBUE5XNCODGJ5IQY3DCKNAA.jpg "In St. Petersburg, the 40th Ave NE entrance into Shore Acres is blocked off.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/KQACEDFWX5AQZAHLYET7H6F3AI.jpg "Flooding is seen at Grant St NE and 62nd Ave NE Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 in St. Petersburg.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/YZS5OTOGDNELLMN5BAEDQXHCPY.JPG "Dodecanese Blvd remains flooded in Tarpon Springs on Sunday, Dec 17, 2023, after a low-pressure system moved into Florida bringing storms, heavy rain, and flooding to the Tampa Bay area overnight.")
This story will be updated.
