Whipping winds and rain damaged homes, left residents without power across Tampa Bay area

TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Bay area is waking up to clearer skies after severe weather slammed into the region, damaging neighborhoods and leaving thousands without power.

Many Duke Energy and TECO customers are waking up Friday morning without power. Between Citrus, Pinellas and Highlands counties, over 2,000 Duke Energy customers are without power. In Hillsborough County, over 1,000 TECO customers don’t have electricity either.

“It was pretty rough and tumble for a while last night,” said FOX 13’s meteorologist Dave Osterberg. “No severe weather is left.”

Officials are asking those in the Tampa Bay area to be cautious as you’re driving around Friday morning. You may still come across debris in the road that could damage your vehicle if you’re moving too fast. 

You may also see emergency crews and flashing lights from their vehicles, so officials are also asking drive to abide by the “Move Over Law,” mandating that you give one lane's clearance or slow down.

On Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warnings for multiple locations around the Bay Area, including Pinellas County and Tampa.  Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.

Those strong winds and storms left some damage behind.

In Duette, winds appeared to have snapped power poles over, bringing lines down and laying on part of State Road 62. Emergency management officials in Hardee County said it was not caused by a tornado.

They said Peace River Electric was working through the night to fix the poles. According to Duette Fire and Rescue, as of Friday morning, the power was still out in the area.

Power poles and lines toppled over in Duette following the strong winds.

Several mobile homes were left damaged inside Palm Grove Village along 66th Street North in Pinellas Park, and that includes multiple power lines down. 

Mobile homes in Palm Grove Village were damaged, and there are with multiple power down in the mobile home park. (FOX 13 News)

The roof of one home was found crumbled on the ground. The resident told FOX 13 that it can be fixed and he is grateful no one in his neighborhood was seriously injured.

Two large trees came down in the Oak Dale community in Seminole, lifting a fence and scattering debris.

All lanes of Interstate 275 in Pinellas County are back open after a crane collapsed near the Roosevelt Boulevard exit, snarling traffic. The crane stretched across the northbound lanes of the highway. The crane toppled over sometime around 10:30 p.m.

Traffic had to be diverted onto Roosevelt Boulevard as crews removed it. The crane was apparently part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Gateway Express project. There were no reported injuries. 

A crane (left) collapsed on I-275 near Roosevelt Boulevard. It has since been removed (right) and all lanes were back open Friday.

Across the bay, damage was also reported near Busch Gardens. 

On North Pawnee Avenue, a resident’s carport landed near someone else’s truck. As of Friday morning, a large tree is blocking a lane near the corner of Busch Boulevard and Calder Lane.

Tree limbs were down throughout parts of Hillsborough County. (FOX 13 News)

Tree limbs are down along Linebaugh Avenue, not far from Pawnee Avenue. 

On Thursday night, a FOX 13 viewer said the winds were so strong, she had to brace the door with her legs to keep the door from opening. She said she wasn’t hurt.

In Pasco County, an elderly woman was taken to a hospital Thursday after an oak tree fell onto her home and trapped her. Firefighters said she was sitting in a chair when it occurred. 

Courtesy: Pasco County Fire Rescue

She was airlifted. As of Friday morning, her current condition was not known. Officials did not release her identity.

In Seminole, another tree fell on a home along Oakdale Terrace. Officials said the victim only had minor injuries.

Tree fell on home on Oakdale Terrace in Seminole

In Pinellas Park, Bryan Shuerger said the storm left behind metal damage – from signs to roofing – near the Harley Davidson Dealership on 49th Street, across from the Quaker Steak and Lube. There were no reported injuries. 

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge closed Thursday due to the strong winds, but has since reopened. A high wind advisory remains and troopers are asking people to drive with caution.