Pinellas County hurricane guide¶

Pinellas County Emergency Management plans for hurricanes, issues evacuation orders, and runs public shelters for the whole county, including every city. Evacuations are based on storm surge, which threatens coastal and low-lying areas and the barrier islands first. People in mobile homes, manufactured homes, and RVs must always evacuate, wherever they live in the county.

Checked on September 30, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Pinellas County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Pinellas County¶

Storm surge can reach Pinellas even when a storm does not hit the county directly. A storm off the coast, or one that makes landfall in another county, can still push water onto land here.
Barrier island residents and businesses need a free Emergency Access Permit from the Sheriff's Office to get back in after a mandatory evacuation is lifted. It covers Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Clearwater Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Madeira Beach, North Redington Beach, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, St. Pete Beach, Tierra Verde, and Treasure Island. Get it before a storm.
Once winds reach 40 to 50 mph, emergency responders can no longer answer calls. If you stay, you will be on your own until conditions improve.

Emergency and information numbers¶

Service	Number	Notes
Emergency	911	Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Citizen information center (during emergencies)	727-464-4333	Answered during emergencies and storm activations.
County information line	727-464-3000	Office line. Not for emergencies. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. TDD 727-464-4062.
Emergency management office	727-464-3800	Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	727-582-6200	For police matters that are not emergencies.
Special needs registration	727-464-3800	Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter.
Animal services	727-582-2600	Pinellas County Animal Services.
Water and sewer emergencies	727-464-4000	Pinellas County Utilities, 24 hours, for county water and sewer customers.
Evacuation zone by phone	727-453-3150	Automated zone lookup. Works from Pinellas County landline phones only.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511)	511	Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information¶

Alert Pinellas: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. One sign up covers the county, the cities, and the Sheriff's Office, for up to five locations. Website.
Ready Pinellas app: The county's free emergency app for iPhone and Android, with a Spanish option. Look up your zone, build a plan, get push alerts, and register for special needs help. Website.
Pinellas County Emergency Information: The county's official hurricane information page. It is updated throughout a large emergency. Website.
Pinellas County Hurricane Guide: The county's printable guide in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Website.

Evacuation zones¶

Pinellas County has five evacuation zones, A through E, based on storm surge risk. The county orders zones to leave based on the surge expected from each storm, starting with Zone A and adding more zones as the danger grows. Residents of mobile homes, manufactured homes, and RVs must always evacuate, and so must people who depend on electricity for medical equipment. Your evacuation zone is not the same as your FEMA flood zone, and you can also find it in the Ready Pinellas app.

Look up your evacuation zone

Evacuation centers¶

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Pinellas County opens public shelters when an evacuation is ordered, and not all shelters open for every storm, so check the county list before you go. Pet-friendly shelters take cats and dogs only, in a crate you bring, housed apart from their owners, and no registration is needed. Special needs shelters are staffed with nurses, and pets are not allowed there. Service animals are welcome in every shelter.

Official list of open evacuation centers

Help to evacuate¶

Special Needs Evacuation Program: For people of any age who need oxygen, help with care or medicine, help moving, depend on electricity, or need a ride to a shelter. Register online, ask your health care provider, or call for a form. Rides are only for people who register. Once an evacuation is likely, you can register only by calling the County Information Center at 727-464-4333. Phone: 727-464-3800. Website.
PSTA evacuation rides: During evacuations, PSTA runs most regular bus routes and rides to shelters are free. Cats and small dogs may ride in a crate, and large dogs on a muzzle leash. Buses stop several hours before dangerous winds arrive. Website.
Pet care for special needs shelter clients: As a last resort, if you are registered for a special needs shelter and have no other option, Pinellas County Animal Services will care for your dog or cat during the storm. Call to register your pet. Pets with chronic medical conditions cannot be accepted. Phone: 727-582-2600. Website.

Radio, TV and weather¶

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Radio stations¶

Station	Frequency	Language	Notes
WMTX	100.7 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WWRM	94.9 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WHPT	102.5 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WUSF	89.7 FM	English	NPR station for the Tampa Bay area.
WFLA	970 AM	English	News talk station in Tampa that runs Operation Storm Watch coverage.

Emergency Alert System roles come from the Florida state EAS plan, last revised in April 2021.

NOAA Weather Radio¶

A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.

Station	Frequency	Transmitter
KEC38	162.450 MHz	Largo
KHB32	162.550 MHz	Tampa Bay

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
WFLA-TV (WFLA News Channel 8)	8	NBC	English
WTSP (10 Tampa Bay)	10	CBS	English
WTVT (FOX 13 Tampa Bay)	13	Fox	English
WFTS-TV (Tampa Bay 28)	28	ABC	English
WWSB (ABC7 WWSB)	40	ABC	English
WEDU (WEDU PBS)	3	PBS	English
WVEA-TV (N+ Univision Tampa Bay)	50	Univision	Spanish
WRMD-CD (Telemundo 49 Tampa)	49	Telemundo	Spanish

Official forecasts¶

National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 813-645-2323. Website.
National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris¶

Duke Energy Florida: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-228-8485. Website.
Tampa Electric (TECO): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-877-588-1010. Website.
Pinellas County Utilities: 24 hour emergency and automated line for county water and sewer customers. Phone: 727-464-4000. Website.
Sand and storm debris cleanup: Each city runs its own storm debris pickup, so city residents should contact their city. After hurricanes Helene and Milton, the county collected storm debris in unincorporated areas. Watch county alerts for plans after the next storm. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents¶

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Where to start¶

First Contact (formerly 211 Tampa Bay Cares): The 211 provider for Pinellas and Hernando counties; it also answers 988. Hernando County alternate line: 727-210-4212. Phone: 727-210-4211. Website.

Housing and shelter¶

FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.

Food¶

Feeding Tampa Bay: Regional food bank for the Tampa Bay area and nearby counties. Phone: 813-254-1190. Website.
Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP): State food benefits after a declared disaster. Dates and locations are posted when it opens. Website.

Money, work and insurance¶

DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
Florida Insurance Consumer Helpline: Free help with insurance claims and disputes. Phone: 1-877-693-5236. Website.
SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance: For people who lose work because of a declared disaster. Website.

Legal help¶

Bay Area Legal Services: Free civil legal help for eligible residents of Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Toll free: 800-625-2257. Phone: 813-232-1343. Website.
Florida Disaster Relief Hotline: Free legal help for disaster survivors, switched on after a storm. Phone: 1-866-550-2929. Website.

Emotional support¶

Central Florida Behavioral Health Network: State-contracted managing entity that funds and coordinates public mental health and substance use care in its region; it does not treat people directly. Website.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations¶

American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter (North and Central Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Hillsborough County office. Pasco County office: 727-848-8354. Pinellas County office: 727-898-3111. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 813-348-4820. Website.

Scams, contractors and price gouging¶

Price gouging hotline (Florida Attorney General): Report price gouging during a declared state of emergency. Phone: 1-866-966-7226. Website.
Contractor license check (DBPR): Check any contractor's license before you pay for repairs. Phone: 850-487-1395. Website.

Cities and towns¶

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

Sources¶

Checked on September 30, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.