Pinellas storm history

Surface observations indicate peak wind gusts generally between 60 to 70 mph, with a maximum gust of 63 mph at Clearwater Beach at 9:30 PM EST, and St. Petersburg, Albert Whitted Airport at 10:47 PM EST, each on August 4. Rainfall ranged from 6 to 11 inches, with a maximum total …

County dispatch relayed report of 4 individuals that were struck by lightning and injured while standing under a tree near downtown St. Petersburg around 5:45 pm local time. Ensuing reports detailed that all 4 individuals were teenagers, 2 females and 1 male aged 16 along with a …

The body of a 73-year-old woman was discovered on a sidewalk at the Bayside Gardens IV condominiums along Gulf Boulevard on Sand Key in Clearwater after being struck by lightning.

The Pinellas County Medical Examiner documented a lightning victim that passed away in hospice 26 days after the strike. The gentleman was golfing at the time of the strike. Time and location estimated as no additional information was found.

Numerous local TV stations reported 8 injuries due to a lightning strike along Clearwater Beach. One man in his 30s suffered a direct strike and went into cardiac arrest. He was sent to the hospital in critical condition where he ultimately died three days later. Three others wer…

A 71 year old man drowned at Madeira Beach when he was pulled away from the coast by a rip current while trying to rescue his 12 year old grandson from high surf. The man was unconscious when he was pulled back to the coast. Other beach goers attempted CPR, but were unable to rev…

In Pinellas County, the highest winds reported from Hurricane Irma was a gust to 77 knots at Pier 60 Park. Rainfall was generally around 4 inches or greater, with the highest rain total 5.98 inches at the the GOES station BTRF1 in Tarpon Springs. The wind resulted in damage to nu…

Several swimmers were caught in rough surf on Treasure Island Beach, prompting a call to 911. Beach goers and rescue crews helped the swimmers to shore, but one of the swimmers, a 48 year old man, was unconscious. Rescuers performed CPR on the man before taking him to a hospital,…

A 9 year old boy at St. Pete Beach was pushed out to sea by strong rip currents. His remains were found by local police two days later. A rip current statement was in effect at the time.

Pinellas County Emergency Manager reported a fatality indirectly related to thunderstorms in the area. The decedent was clearing branches and debris from the single story roof at his residence and fell to the ground sustaining head trauma. He was transported to Morton Plant Hospi…

Pinellas County Emergency Management relayed a report from the Medical Examiner of a 58 year old homeless man who was found face down submerged in a drainage area that was filled with storm water on July 29th. The man was resuscitated and taken to a hospital where he eventually e…

Florida Emergency Management reported that an 81 year old man was struck and killed while walking near his home in Largo.

A 55-year-old man drowned off the coast of Treasure Island, most likely due to strong rip currents. Authorities were called to the 8400 block of Gulf Boulevard around 3 PM after receiving a 911 call. The call came shortly after beach-walkers spotted an unconscious body floating i…

A local TV station relayed a report of two tourists from Georgia being pulled out into deeper water by a rip current. One of the tourists, was rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment. The other tourist, a 20 year old man, drowned.

A male construction worker at 7245 102nd Lane North in Seminole was struck and killed by a lightning strike.

A Clearwater woman drowned in the Gulf of Mexico on her birthday five blocks north of the Clearwater Pier. Her husband reported deep water and strong currents.

Pinellas County emergency management and print and broadcast media reported a 51 year old woman was struck and killed while walking on Belleair Beach. Print media reported she was walking on the beach with a friend. When storms started to roll in, the two friends got separated. A…

Four people, some vacationing from Alabama became caught in rip currents as they were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico after Tropical Storm Debby. A relative who attempted to save them became the fifth person caught in the rip currents. Bystanders pulled all five people back to sho…

Heavy rain caused minor flooding in Indian Rocks Beach. A 71 year old man died after suffering a heart attack while standing in less than a foot of water in his front yard and could not remove himself from the water. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was dro…

A 51-year-old male was found in a creek under a bridge on 150th Avenue in Largo. The creek was swollen due to heavy rains from Tropical Storm Debby. The date and time of the death was estimated to be on the 24th. The body was found on the 27th.

A 17 year old male was standing in chest-high water off of Treasure Island Beach and got caught in a rip current and drowned, while a severe thunderstorm also approached the area.

Lightning struck a 16-year-old boy and his mother who were vacationing at the beach. The bolt hit the boy in the chest, knocking him unconscious and shredding his shorts. The boy was taken to the hospital and died four days later on July 24. The mother also received a jolt and co…

An unconscious 45-year-old female was found in heavy surf near 178th Avenue in Indian Shores. Fire department rescue did establish a weak pulse but she died four days later on June 6th.

A 31-year-old male was pulled away from shore and drowned off of Treasure Island's main beach. He was described as a strong swimmer.

A 31-year-old male swimming at a Treasure Island beach was pulled under by a rip current and was found 300 feet offshore.

A 69-year-old British tourist drowned as a rip current pulled him away from his friends. They were in chest-deep water in high surf as winds gusted to 25 mph.

A 22 year old male drowned in a rip current 100 feet offshore of Sand Key in Clearwater.

An eighteen year old male was swept away by a rip current after slipping off the old Gandy Bridge and falling into the the Old Tampa Bay waters.

Six firefighters, loading equipment after extinguishing a fire, were injured by the sideflash of a lightning bolt that struck a nearby palm tree and concrete sidewalk during a dissipating thunderstorm on the 800 block of 17th Avenue South in St Petersburg. One of the firefighters…

Surface observations indicate peak wind gusts generally between 80 to 100 mph, with a maximum gust of 101 mph at Albert Whitted Airport at 9:29 PM EST on October 9. Rainfall generally ranged from 10 to 15 inches with a few pockets of 15 to 20 inches over southern and southeastern…

The highest wind reported in Pinellas County from Hurricane Ian was a gust to 77 mph in Saint Petersburg at 3:46 PM EST on September 28. Rainfall generally ranged between 1.5 and 4 inches, with a maximum total of 3.34 inches at Albert Whitted Airport. 31 homes received major dama…

In Pinellas County the highest wind reported from Hurricane Eta was a gust of 60 mph at the weather flow site on Clearwater Beach. Rainfall was generally above 5 inches with the highest rain total being 9.11 inches at a site in St. Petersburg. The wind resulted in many homes bein…

At Clearwater Beach, the peak surge was 4.41 feet on the evening of the 1st, and when added to the normal astronomical tide cycle, the highest storm tide was 3.99 feet NAVD88 of total water. Beach erosion from the surge caused an estimated $4 million in damages.

Heavy rain from Hurricane Hermine fell across Pinellas County, with the three day total rainfall ranging from 6 to 20 inches. The highest rain accumulation recorded during the event was 22.11 inches at the CWOP station 1 mile SSE Baskin. The rain caused widespread street flooding…

The Tarpon Woods subdivision near Palm Harbor was the hardest hit area in Pinellas County. 453 residences were impacted from the flooding as well as 224 condo units.

The tide gauge at Clearwater Beach measured a peak tide of 5.43 feet MLLW on the afternoon of the 24th. Subtracting the predicted astronomical tide, the calculated highest storm surge was 3.10 feet on the evening of the 24th. The tide gauge at Saint Petersburg measured a peak tid…

Lightning ignited a multiple alarm fire at a 6,500 square foot home on the water. The $1.7 million home was a total loss even though 50 fire fighters battled the blaze. The value of the land was not included in the damage estimate.