Tropical Storm Nicole closures, sandbags, storm information for Tampa Bay area
Counties in the Tampa Bay area have been monitoring Tropical Storm Nicole throughout the week as it approached the east coast of Florida. The storm made landfall early Thursday morning, and there are still ongoing closures in the area.
Local officials have started to release information on closures, sandbags and other emergency information:
Citrus County
Schools
Citrus County schools will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10. This includes all after-school programs and extracurricular activities for Wednesday, Nov. 9 and tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 10. Due to this closure, the last two half days before Christmas break, Dec. 21-22 will now be full days of school.
Sandbags
Two self-serve sandbag sites opened Wednesday at the following locations:
- Homosassa Community Park, 4210 S Grandmarch Ave, Homosassa
- Bicentennial Park, 501 N Baseball Pt, Crystal River
Self-serve sites are open 24 hours but are not monitored overnight for the availability of supplies. Citizens wishing to take advantage of the self-serve sites will need to bring a shovel.
Hardee County
Schools
Hardee County schools will be closed on Wednesday, November 9, and Thursday, November 10. The school district will make a decision on whether schools will reopen Friday, November 11, after the storm passes.
Sandbags
Sandbags are available for residents at 205 Hanchey Road, Wauchula, FL 33873. Limited assistance will be provided to fill and load bags. The site will be open Tuesday, November 8th from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. and Wednesday, November 9 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Shelters
Shelters will be open to residents needing assistance beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 9:
- Hardee Junior K-8 (General Population): 2401 US Highway 17 North, Wauchula, FL
- South Florida State College (Special Needs): 2968 US Highway 17 North, Bowling Green, FL
- Bowling Green Elementary (Pet Friendly): 4530 Church Avenue, Bowling Green, FL
Special needs and pet-friendly shelter registration forms can be found on the Hardee County Emergency Management website: www.hardeecountyfl.gov/emergency-management/dashboard.
Hernando County
Schools
Hernando schools and district offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10.
Highlands County
Schools
There will be no school or school activities Wednesday, November 9, and Thursday, November 10, out of an abundance of caution ahead of potential tropical storm force winds. District officials do expect normal operations to resume on Friday, November 11.
Sandbags
Sandbags will be available in Highlands County from XXX. Residents are asked to bring a shovel. Sandbags are available at three Road & bridge location on George Boulevard in Sebring, East Winthrop Street in Avon Park and County Road 621 in Lake Placid. Sand will also be available at South George Boulevard in Sebring, Old Bombing Rage Road and County Road 17 East in Avon Park as well as County Road 621 and County Road 619 in Lake Placid.
Shelters
A general population shelter will open at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at Fred Wild Elementary School, located at 3550 Youth Care Lane in Sebring. Pets are not allowed; officials recommend calling your local veterinarian for pet housing.
A special needs shelter will open at noon Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the health department, located at 7205 S. George Blvd. in Sebring. Registration for the special needs shelter will be open until 11 a.m. Wednesday. To register, click here: https://snr.flhealthresponse.com/
Closures
County offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10, for the storm, as well as Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
The property appraiser, tax collector, and city of Sebring offices will all be closed Thursday, Nov. 10.
Hillsborough County
Schools
Hillsborough County Public Schools and offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10. Superintendent Addison Davis said in order to preserve Thanksgiving break for students, the make-up day will be Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Officials remind parents and students that schools will remain closed Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day.
Shelters
An emergency storm shelter will open at 12 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Erwin Technical College, located at 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa. No evacuations have been ordered, but the shelter is for residents concerned about staying in their homes during a tropical storm, including those dependent on electricity for medical needs or those in homes susceptible to storm damage. Pets will be accepted at the shelter, and must be kept in a carrier. Owners must bring proof of current rabies vaccination.
Closures
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced they will be closed Nov. 10, 2022.
- Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections offices will be closed for general business on November 10, 2022 due to Tropical Storm Nicole. *Note: The Secretary of State issued an Emergency Order on November 9, 2022 extending the deadline for voters to present evidence of eligibility for provisional ballots or submit cure affidavits for Vote By Mail ballots to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 12, 2022.
- The City of Tampa's McKay Bay Transfer Station and Scale House located at 114 South 34th Street will be closed Thursday and Friday and will open Saturday with normal business hours.
RELATED: More than 15,000 mail ballots flagged in Florida – how to make sure yours is counted
Trash collection
- Garbage, recycling and yard waste collection for the City of Tampa will be suspended Thursday, November 10, and will resume Monday, November 14. Commercial and Hurricane Ian debris collections will also be suspended Thursday, but will resume Friday, November 11. SWEEP and Special Pickup services will be suspended until further notice.
Manatee County
Shelters
A pet-friendly ‘Safe Haven’ shelter is opening at Freedom Elementary School, located at 9515 FL-64, Bradenton, 34212, beginning Wednesday, November 9 at 10 a.m. Residents who wish to evacuate their homes voluntarily are welcome at the shelter. Visit mymanatee.org for requirements regarding brining pets to the shelter.
Schools
Manatee County Schools will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10. Schools will reopen after the Veterans Day Holiday weekend on Monday, Nov. 14.
Closures
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge reopened around 4 p.m. after FHP closed it Thursday morning due to high winds. The bridge closes when there are maximum sustained winds of 40 mph over it.
Pasco County
Shelters
Pasco County is opening a hurricane shelter for anyone seeking shelter from the storm: Mike Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter, located at 11161 Denton Avenue in Hudson. It opens Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. Pasco County is not accepting new special needs registrations, and due to the possibility of high winds, the county is not providing transportation to the shelter.
"We encourage you to first consider staying with family or friends, but if that's not an option, you can self-evacuate to the [shelter]."
Sandbags
Pasco County has two, self-serve sandbag locations:
- Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey
- Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn): 30908 Warder Road, San Antonio
Sandbag sites are self-serve and open 24/7. Sandbags are provided, but you must bring your own shovels to fill the bags.
Schools
Pasco County schools and offices will be closed on Thursday, November 10, ahead of Nicole. Officials do expect all schools and offices to reopen on Friday, November 11.
Pasco-Hernando State College will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10.
Pinellas County
Veterans Day events
Due to potential impacts from Tropical Storm Nicole, the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System will now hold its Veterans Day ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 13. It was originally scheduled for Friday, Nov. 11.
Schools
Pinellas County schools will close Thursday, Nov. 10, and will reopen Friday, Nov. 11. All afterschool activities scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10 will also be canceled (events scheduled for Nov. 9 and 11 will occur as scheduled).
Shelters
Pinellas County will open two shelters Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.
- Ross Norton Recreation Center at 1426 S MLK Jr Ave, Clearwater
- Lealman Exchange Community Center, 5175 45th St. N., St. Petersburg (pet-friendly)
Residents can ride the PSTA for free if heading to a shelter – just tell the driver.
Closures
FHP closed the Skyway Bridge on Thursday morning due to high winds. The bridge closes when there are maximum sustained winds of 40 mph over it.
Polk County
Schools
Polk County schools and offices will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 10. Additionally, all after-school activities will be canceled Wednesday, Nov. 9 and Thursday, Nov. 10. District officials remind students and parents that schools and offices will also be closed on Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day.
Sandbags
Polk County will make sandbags available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9. A maximum of 10 sandbags will be provided to each household to help prevent water intrusion into the home. Sandbag locations include:
- 900 NE 5th Street in Mulberry – (863) 519-4734
- 8970 North Campbell Road in Lakeland – (863) 815-6701
- 1061 NE 9th Street in Fort Meade – (863) 285-6588
- 350 County Road 630A in Frostproof – (863) 635-7879
- 1701 Holt Road in Auburndale – (863) 965-5524
- 805 Dr. Martin Luther King Street SW in Dundee – (863) 421-3367
- Poinciana Park – corner of Lake Hatchineha Road and Marigold Avenue
MORE: Polk County, residents near Peace River, brace for flooding ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole
Polk County will be pulling staff off hurricane debris removal to start prepping for sandbag distribution at the Maintenance Units. Wednesday will be the only day for sandbag distribution.
Sarasota County
Schools
Sarasota County Schools will be in normal operations Wednesday, November 9, but all after-school activities must end by 5 p.m., including afterschool child care. Sarasota County schools will close Thursday, Nov. 10, and will reopen Friday, Nov. 11.
Sandbags
A self-serve sandbag station opened in North Port Tuesday as residents prepare for potential impacts from Tropical Storm Nicole. The site is behind the George Mullen Activity Center, 1602 Kramer Way at the end of City Center Boulevard. Bags and shovels are available, but residents are encouraged to bring a shovel to reduce wait times. There will be a limit to five sandbags per vehicle.
Closures
The FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at Shannon Staub Library in North Port is closed Tuesday-Friday, Nov. 11, due to potential impacts from Nicole. The center will reopen as weather permits.