king harbor yacht club flooding

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Big waves pummel coastline, force Seal Beach pier closure in aftermath of storm

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Massive waves continued to pound the beaches and piers of Southern California on Friday a day after a powerful storm exited the region.

The big surf forced the closure of the Seal Beach Pier, where large chunks of wood could be seen floating underneath the structure.

Damage to the pier included a boat ramp used by oil-platform workers. City officials will need to assess the structure before they can determine when the pier could be reopened.

In the meantime, big crowds gathered along the shoreline to watch the spectacle, not just in Seal Beach but in ocean communities throughout Southern California.

"This is the biggest South Bay (waves) we've seen probably ever since I was 10 years old," said Hunter Jones of Manhattan Beach.

The high surf advisories for Los Angeles and Orange counties are expected to remain in effect until 6 p.m. Friday.

Forecasters were expecting waves of 8-10 feet, with some even hitting 12 feet.

In the aftermath of a major winter storm, waves on Friday morning were soaring over a 20-foot break wall at Redondo Beach.

"Today was actually one of the first times in 20 years that we were confronted with this amount of storm surge that's breaking significantly over the break wall -- 40 feet, if I had to guess," said one beach visitor.

At Redondo Beach's King Harbor Yacht club, the waves were big enough to flood the parking lot while also slamming into a retainer wall. A marina employee said the damage will be expensive to repair.

Many people turned out to witness the giant waves as they pummeled beaches in the South Bay.

"I just love seeing the spray, the water," said a woman who visited El Porto Beach. "It's almost like seeing clouds floating in the water. It's crazy."

The conditions at that beach were described as unfavorable for even experienced surfers.

Latest forecast for Southern California

In Ventura County, docked boats were seen being rocked and swayed by the storm waves.

Friday's relatively calm weather conditions were a lull that was expected to be brief as more Pacific storms lined up to blast into California, where successive powerful weather systems have knocked out power to thousands, battered the coastline, flooded streets, toppled trees and caused at least six deaths.

"A very active weather pattern across the Pacific Ocean will continue to push energetic and fast-moving low pressure systems toward the West Coast," the National Weather Service said. "California continues to take the brunt of the heavy precipitation and strong winds associated with these systems as we head into the first full weekend of 2023."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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News | 18-foot waves pummel piers, chunk out sand and…

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News | 18-foot waves pummel piers, chunk out sand and flood parking lots along Southern California coast

In the South Bay, piers at three west-facing beaches remained closed Friday as waves more than 15 feet tall pummeled the structures.

In Seal Beach, high surf and wind pummeled the pier, and officials decided to “temporarily close it in an abundance of caution.” Part of the boat ramp used by oil platform workers was damaged. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

High surf along west facing beaches in the southland had the Manhattan Beach Pier closed on Thursday January 5, 2022. (Photo by contributing photographer Chuck Bennett)

Waves crash over the Redondo Beach break wall near the King Harbor Yacht Club on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. A series of storm systems moved into the area, causing waves upwards of 12 feet high along the South Bay coast. (Photo by Maxwell at eMaximize.com)

A man treks out to the shore despite rain in Long Beach on Thursday, January 5, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Large waves hit the pilings of the Huntington Beach Pier early Friday morning, January 6, 2023 in Huntington Beach. The recent storm that brought rain, wind and snow to most of California, has also brought large, and in some areas, damaging surf. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Water from a large shorebreak wave makes its way nearly a hundred yards up on to the beach just south of the Huntington Beach Pier early Friday morning, January 6, 2023 in Huntington Beach. The recent storm that brought rain, wind and snow to most of California, has also brought large, and in some areas, damaging surf. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A beach goer looks on as a large shorebreak wave hits the beach just south of the Huntington Beach Pier early Friday morning, January 6, 2023 in Huntington Beach. The recent storm that brought rain, wind and snow to most of California, has also brought large, and in some areas, damaging surf. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Additionally, the high surf and tide surge swamped a block jetty at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, flooding and closing the nearby parking lot. Mounds of sand buried a bike path that runs from Torrance Beach to Avenue H in Redondo Beach and sea water flooded into a parking lot and public bathroom facility.

In King Harbor, massive waves overwhelmed a breakwater jetty and ate into the asphalt parking lot nearby.

“There were 15-foot-plus waves breaking directly onto the rocks at Redondo Harbor,” said Lifeguard Capt. A.J. Lester, a spokesman for Los Angeles County’s Fire and Lifeguard Division. “The parking lot is built on the rocks of the breakwater and the pressure caused the asphalt to break apart like it was an earthquake.”

The piers at Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Venice Beach were closed in an “abundance of caution” because of the strong west-northwest swell, which crashed surf over the top of the structures. It arrived Thursday along with the rainstorm and was expected to last through Friday, coinciding with a period of high tides.

The piers will remain closed until city crews assess the structures to ensure they haven’t been compromised, likely a day or two, said Capt. Kealiinohopono Barnes, also with the Los Angeles County division.

“It’s a question of stability after such a prolonged force from the waves,” he said. “The beaches there will remain open, but there is a water quality advisory all through Santa Monica Bay.”

In Seal Beach, high surf and wind pummeled the pier, and officials decided to “temporarily close it in an abundance of caution” and to allow for inspection, the city announced Friday. Part of the boat ramp used by oil platform workers was damaged. No timeline for reopening was given.

Crews from the Orange County Fire Authority and Seal Beach Public Work’s Department built sand berms to reinforce the beach. OCFA heavy equipment crews were also busy Friday digging and draining water from the north side of the pier to prevent seawater from entering any structures and homes.

Surf off Manhattan Beach at El Porto hit as high as 18 feet, though other areas of county shore were more manageable.

“We’ve had considerable erosion,” Barnes said of the waves that ate at the sand. “We’ve lost so much in a short timeframe.”

In Laguna Beach, high waves tore down parts of a sea wall at a home in North Laguna, flooded the coastal side of Coast Highway and Broadway, damaged the foundation of a lifeguard tower at Oak Street leaving it tilting toward the surf zone and tore off railing and staircase steps at Woods and Moss beaches.

Aliso Beach’s parking lot was temporarily shut Friday after flooding, but its east side was opened later in the day. The west side of the lot remained closed while crews continue to clear debris. Officials expected work to continue Saturday.

In Capistrano Beach, the parking lot was also closed most of Friday, but reopened by the end of the day.

Lifeguards caution that though the waves might look tempting for surfers, those who go out

should be sure of their abilities. Especially in the next few days, as the surf declines, the water may appear more welcoming, but the threat of rip currents will be greater – especially along the South Bay beaches where the sea floor has gotten carved up more from all the turbulence and wave action.

“That’s when we see a lot of rescues, because the rip currents get really strong and people get caught in them,” Barnes said.

Water quality is also a concern after rain storms, which can wash inland runoff with pollutants and debris to the ocean. Officials typically advise staying out of the water for 72 hours after a storm. On Friday, Orange County health officials were recommending staying out of the water until at least Monday.

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Redondo Beach's King Harbor sees high surf Friday morning

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The plan will consider the impacts of sea-level rise and seasonal flooding along the plan area. In addition, the consultant team has reviewed the City of Redondo Beach Local Hazard Mitigation plan and understands the crucial areas of concern or natural or manufactured hazards in the King Harbor area, including tsunamis, liquefaction, earthquakes, and drought. Shutterstock image.

Blips on the Radar: Revisiting the King Harbor Amenities Plan

What happened: The Harbor Commission of King Harbor in Redondo Beach began the discussion of the King Harbor Public Amenities plan, process, and timeline. The pan will focus on revamping the harbor and expanding on the amenities that will be and are currently offered.

  At a Feb. 7 working group meeting, SWA, an LA-based landscape architecture group, presented sketch drawings of the various public amenities and incorporated options for items such as pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes added to main pedestrian routes, directional signage, entrance identifiers, ADA accessible paths, and waterfront access by type of user. The public was asked to provide input at the March 7 meeting.

On Feb. 14, The Redondo Beach King Harbor Commission held a virtual meeting to discuss the King Harbor Public Amenities plan, process, and timeline. This was the first inquiry for public input on waterfront issues since 2017, when voters passed a measure that blocked a developer, limited waterfront uses, and spawned a series of lawsuits.

Phase one of the project was to launch and listen. From Oct.- to Dec. 2021, the project had a pop-up event at the Veterans Park Farmers Market in an effort for outreach to the public and a second pop-up at the Redondo Beach Pier. The first community meeting was on Dec. 15. What was heard from this public and what they asked for during the outreach attempts was:

• Restrooms and showers
• Dining and Shopping
• A boat launch
• A dinghy dock
• Cohesive walkways and parking
• A green space and gathering space
• Dog park and dog walking area
• An educational center and resources
• Concerts, events, and entertainment
• Bike lanes and bike parking
• Dry boat storage

Phase two has made progress on public opinions regarding the Seaside Lagoon and the Sportfishing Pier. In addition, landscape architecture firm SWA Group from Los Angeles presented ideas inspired by input from Redondo Beach residents at a virtual meeting in December and pop-up kiosks.

Phase two of the project explored and synthesized from Jan.- to April 2022. Phase two included:

• Presenting options to the community for feedback.
• Beginning plan development.
• Hosting the second virtual meeting.
• Hosting two more pop-up events for public outreach.

What’s on Tap:  The Redondo Beach Amenities Plan is currently exiting phase two and entering phase three, which will share and evaluate the plan in a community meeting sometime in the next two months.

Phase four will be public hearings which will take place between April and June. Phase four will present 100 percent of the Draft King Harbor Public Amenities Plan for final approval.

Jeremy Klemic from SWA presented two approaches for Seaside Lagoon, “the civic heart of King Harbor” was the first approach is a more “passive” open public lawn next to a smaller lagoon and a second “aquatic development” with water jets, a wave pool and lap pool – also part of a smaller lagoon with adjacent public lawn for year-round use.

Each option provides a direct path to the oceanfront and a possible bandshell.

SWA showed a spruced-up structure for the closed sportfishing pier, with “dock and dine” areas for small and large watercraft and fishing spots. The first part drew favorable comments from the public, while the second, questions.

Some public members expressed concerns with the sportfishing pier, requesting it be removed as an amenity, and others raised concerns about having fishing and motorboats comingle in the same harbor.

As for Moonstone Park, SWA showed three options:

• An enhanced existing park.
• A smaller park with an expanded Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club next to it.
• A minimal park with dry-boat storage.

The enhanced existing park option was dominant in the feedback. A public member proposed expanding Moonstone Park and taking it to the north edge of the spit, removing a section of the parking lot.

Another resident suggested moving the outriggers’ launch to Mole C.

Moles are the artificial alphabetized landmasses at King Harbor, from Mole A at the north end (King Harbor Yacht Club) to Mole D at the south edge by the International Boardwalk.

As for the Boardwalk, no significant changes were shown by SWA other than revamping restrooms, retrofitting for sea-level rise, and adding greenery. Public comments included requests for mini amphitheaters, busking and/or street music performances, and to bring back the arcade and add a carousel.

While the King Harbor Amenities Plan focuses on seven main features, the Seaside Lagoon remains the most immediate.

Brandy Forbes, community development director, pointed out that improving the spot is a current city project, with a budget coming together and preparation underway to go out with request-for-proposals. SWA’s work will be incorporated into this.

Next, for the harbor amenities plan, SWA is to offer a complete draft package for each feature, invite feedback and hold another community meeting sometime in mid-May, according to the City of Redondo Beach. King Harbor is accepting surveys from the public from April 1-17.

For more information on the Amenities Plan, please email  [email protected]  or call (310) 318-0631.

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Manhattan Beach Roundhouse Aquarium invites public to join King Tide study

by Grace Adams, Marissa Wu, Jeremy Prince Roundhouse Aquarium

The 20-foot swells during the first two weeks of January breached the King Harbor breakwall, and tore up the yacht club parking. At high tide, the Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach bike paths were flooded. But the January damage was mild compared to what it might have been had the large swells hit the weekend of Dec. 23, 24. Or what it might be this coming weekend, January 21, 22, were the large swells to return. 

Like the Dec. 23, 24 weekend, the coming weekend brings King Tides. King Tides coincide with a full, or new moon, when the gravitational pull on the oceans is strongest. The December 23, 24 high tide was 7 feet, a full foot higher than the Jan. 6 high tide, when the King Harbor breakwall was breached, and the yacht club parking lot torn up. This weekend the King Tide will again top 7 feet, though no damage is expected because the surf will be just one- to two-feet.

Understanding the impact of King Tides is important because they signal the impact of ordinary three- to six-foot high tides in coming years, when climate change raises the ocean’s level. 

This weekend the Manhattan Beach Roundhouse Aquarium invites the public to participate in a study on the impact of Saturday’s and Sunday’s King Tides, and what they tell us about the future.

The study is part of the California King Tides Project, created in 2010 by federal, state and regional non profit organizations.

The adverse effects of today’s high tides will be significantly worsened by rising sea levels. Trash and pollutants washed into the ocean will further harm marine life. Saltwater flowing inland will damage freshwater plants, and animals. Higher seawater levels can also permeate into coastal groundwater supplies, increase erosion, lead to additional flooding, and damage coastal infrastructure and property. Marine animals and plants depend on the tidal zones to survive. There are several species of plants that can only survive in a specific zoned niche within wetlands, beaches, and tidepools. With the rising water levels seen during King Tides, the plant and animal communities will get the signal to shift inland to higher areas in order to maintain the same zonation. When there is no room to move due to development or steep cliffs, coastal habitats will decrease, and animal and plant communities will be unable to adapt for survival.

King Tides are fleeting, but they can be amazing to witness. Understanding King Tides helps us to ensure our beautiful coastline communities are here to enjoy for many years to come. 

Volunteers are asked to meet at the base of the Manhattan Beach pier at 8:30 a.m.

To register for this weekend’s King Tides study, email [email protected] . ER

comments so far. Comments posted to EasyReaderNews.com may be reprinted in the Easy Reader print edition, which is published each Thursday.

King Harbor Yacht Club

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280 Yacht Club Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

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Camden recovering from powerful storms that damaged seawalls, ripped apart private piers

Thirteen months ago, a powerful coastal storm caused $500,000 in damage to Camden’s waterfront.

Just over a year later, two major storms just days apart battered the seaside town again, ripping off private piers and docks, flooding local restaurants, punching holes in seawalls and carrying off a large propane tank.

“This was the storm that completely reshaped the coast of Maine and Camden is no exception,” said Town Manager Audra Caler.

And while town officials are still totaling up the costs from the two January storms, Caler estimates that it will exceed the half-million in damage caused by the December 2022 storm.

She and other town officials up and down the coast are continuing to get a handle on the fallout from the Jan. 10 and Jan 13 storms that toppled the bricks out from under a historic lighthouse bell tower, sent fishing shacks into the sea and set a new high-water record in Portland.

Camden is lucky to have the reserves to front the money needed to make repairs, especially considering it could take a year or more to get federal funds, Caler said. But moving forward that may no longer be the case.

She said she’s hoping federal officials will consider helping to plan for destructive events before they happen, rather than responding afterward.

“I hope an event like this would be the impetus for moving forward with that kind of change,” she said. “It’s not going to be financially viable for any government to respond.”

On a recent day, there were a few clues that something big had happened — sandbags and crowd control barriers against a building, red tape that said “danger” to keep people off a deck outside the Grand Harbor Inn.

Yet most year-round shops and restaurants are open, and a few tourists milled about, taking in the sites including the Megunticook River Falls.

Down near the head of the harbor, the Camden Yacht Club sustained significant damage Jan. 10, when the winds blew harder and the “force of the waves and surge were more violent,” than the storm three days later, said Colleen Duggan, who acts as the club’s equivalent of a chairperson.

“We’re kind of the canary in the coal mine,” she said. “It hits our seawall first.”

As a result, they have a “big gaping hole to fill” in the wall. Yellow police tape now surrounds the property, which is near Penobscot Bay.

The storm ripped off metal railings, pushed a lot of debris onto the property and churned up what Duggan described as “enormous amounts of seaweed.”

“In 13 months, we’ve had three terrible storms with wind out of the southeast, which is where we’re more vulnerable as a harbor,” Duggan said. “We can’t solve this problem by ourselves. It’s a lot bigger than us.”

Just down from the yacht club is the Waterfront restaurant, where owner Sam Appleton is working on repairs after 18 inches of water came in. They are stripping walls up two or three feet, tearing out wet insulation, fixing the heating system and waiting on new carpet.

Appleton said this is only the second time in 45 years that he’s seen this much water. The other time was in the storm of 1978.

He said his flood insurance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency may help with some of the cost — but only after he exceeds his $50,000 deductible.

“I know I have more than that in damage, but not a huge amount more,” he said. “It will be a lot of money out of pocket.”

Despite all that, he hopes to reopen his year-round restaurant that serves coastal classics such as clam chowder and lobster stew, by Feb. 1.

For the last several years, Camden has worked to become a year-round destination for tourists. Already well-known for its picturesque downtown, a state park with stunning views and as the home of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, the town is now known for its ski mountain.

The Camden Snow Bowl is a big reason the town made the Reader’s Digest list of Best Winter Destinations in Every State, according to a December listing in the magazine.

“Get out there and have some fun in the cold at Camden Snow Bowl, the only ski area on the east coast where you can actually see the ocean,” the magazine wrote.

The write-up also mentioned the U.S. National Toboggan Championships, which are set for Feb. 2-4.

Caler said there’s adequate snow and cold to support the event this year, unlike last year, when it wasn’t cold enough to freeze over the pond at the end of the toboggan chute.

As she looks forward, the Snow Bowl may also be one of the town-owned entities most affected by climate change.

“It’s sort of becoming more and more difficult to look at the future and think it’s practical,” she said.

That may be the case for other popular destinations, including the falls that are a hallmark of the town. Caler said the town has been lucky so far to have either inland flooding or coastal storm surge, but it hasn’t had to deal with both at the same time.

“Our biggest challenge in Maine and the Midcoast is still the increase in precipitation and overland flooding,” she said. “We’re all going to have to make difficult and painful decisions. Cherished elements of what make up a community, we’re going to have to reimagine. They can’t look like they’ve looked for hundreds of years.”

• St. Petersburg

Here’s what flooding around Tampa Bay looked like Sunday

• Ellen E. Clarke Times staff
• Chris Tisch Times staff
• Jay Cridlin Times staff
• Max Chesnes Times staff

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.

4:15 p.m.: No tropical storm-force winds recorded in Tampa Bay

The highest wind gust recorded in Pinellas County was 53 miles per hour, which was logged just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday at Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg, according to Paul Close, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office.

About an hour later, Hillsborough County saw its highest wind gust of 47 miles per hour at Tampa International Airport, according to weather service data.

Throughout the Tampa Bay region, wind speeds never reached tropical storm strength, which is a sustained wind — not a gust — of 39 miles per hour, Close told the Tampa Bay Times.

No tornadoes touched down in the bay area, and a there was only one tornado warning, in the Port Charlotte area north of Fort Myers, which went out around 3 a.m. Sunday, according to Close.

As for rain, most of the Tampa Bay region saw between 2.5 and 3.5 inches of rainfall as of Sunday afternoon, Close said. Northwest Hillsborough County saw up to 3.5 inches, while areas further inland, like Lakeland, received about 2 inches.

”This was kind of a washout. We don’t have many of these each year,” Close said. “With an El Nino, we’ll likely see more of these systems come from the Gulf.”

— Max Chesnes

3:30 p.m.: Already soaked from Idalia, Shore Acres residents face more flooding

Eric Desonie floated in his kayak beside the RV he has called home since Hurricane Idalia sent a half-foot of water into his living room.

On Sunday, a little more than three months since the storm that gutted his Shore Acres house in St. Petersburg, Desonie was facing another flood.

This one was less damaging, but no less bothersome.

“I accepted this fact when I moved into this neighborhood,” Desonie said, referring to the neighborhood’s flood risk. “But it still sucks.”

The deja vu Shore Acres residents got from this weekend’s storms, which brought a downpour not seen since Idalia in August, was especially strong. Read more here .

1:45 p.m.: High winds bring choppy surf in Clearwater Beach

High winds coming in from the Gulf of Mexico sent waves crashing ashore in Clearwater Beach on Sunday, and left an industrial crane spinning slowly over a hotel construction site on S Gulfview Boulevard.

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1:12 p.m.: Snell Isle reopens; city seeks reports of damage

The city of St. Petersburg has reopened access to flooded Snell Isle, though access to Riviera Bay and Shore Acres remains restricted.

The city is also seeking resident reports of flood damage to homes and neighborhoods. Residents are asked to send photos of home damage to [email protected] and include your address and a measurement above floor level.

12:15 p.m. Police reopen roads along Bayshore in Tampa

Tampa Police have reopened roadways along and near Bayshore Boulevard, according to a news release from the city. Other areas that have seen flooded roadways include the Courtney Campbell Causeway at Rocky Point Boulevard. Drivers are encouraged to avoid all low-lying areas until flood waters recede.

11:20 a.m.: Nearly 7,000 customers without power in Tampa Bay

About 5,000 Duke Energy customers in Pinellas County and 1,900 Tampa Electric Co. customers, mostly in Hillsborough County, were still without power by 11:20 a.m. The numbers have fluctuated throughout the morning, with Duke’s outages dropping from 5,000 to 1,000 by 10 a.m., then rising back up an hour later.

10:22 a.m. Apartments flooded in Madeira Beach

Angela Robbins, of Madeira Beach, thought the worst of the storms were over by 11:30 pm on Saturday night. Most of the storms had passed, it was quiet, and there was no water at the door of her small triplex apartment as she settled into bed at 121 140th Ave E.

But by 3:30 a.m., things had changed. As Robbins stepped out of bed to use the restroom, she found herself standing in a three-foot-deep storm surge.

“It was up to my hip, and I began to cry,” Robbins said as she scooped dozens of waterlogged shoes into trash bags to add to the pile of personal belongings outside her front door. “Now I am afraid of the mildew and mold.”

Robbins’ four-door Volvo was also flooded and reeked of an electrical smell outside her front door, which remained parked near bags of clothes, comforters, carpets, and pillows. By mid-morning, Robbins was still working to clear the spaces and dry them.

Robbins’ neighbor, Anthony McCabe at 699 Pruitt Drive, was trying to figure out how to remove water from his laundry room, bedroom, and living room, all of which were inundated by storm surge overnight, “similar to how it flooded in Idalia,” McCabe said.

— Douglas R. Clifford, Times staff photographer

10:18 a.m.: Power outages rising in Hillsborough County

By 10:15 a.m., Duke Energy was reporting just under 1,000 power outages in Pinellas County, down from about 5,000 earlier this morning. In Hillsborough County, however, outages had gone from about 800 at 9 a.m. to about 1,900 at 10:15 a.m., according to Tampa Electric Co.

10:17 a.m.: Gulfport streets beginning to clear

By 9:30 a.m. the water in Gulfport had receded enough that vehicles, including a transit bus, were able to pass through on Shore Boulevard. Meanwhile, the line of small businesses along the block of Beach Boulevard was populated with the loud whirring of Shop Vacs and the smell of bleach as businesses cleaned up the mess.

— Chris Tisch, Times staff writer

10:15 a.m.: Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa remains flooded

By mid-morning, sections of Tampa’s Bayshore Boulevard were flooded and impassable, according to the city’s flood map, which showed water from S Howard Avenue to W Brorein Street.

Flooding was also reported in other areas of the city, including stretches of West Shore Boulevard in Sunset Park, and areas near the Hillsborough River just north of Hillsborough Avenue in Seminole Heights.

10 a.m.: St. Pete Police close streets, access to neighborhoods

St. Petersburg Police are restricting traffic on flooded streets and into impacted neighborhoods.

The agency said access to Snell Isle, Shore Acres and Riviera Bay will be “closed to local traffic until further notice.”

“Yes, even to food delivery services,” police posted on X .

Access to Snell Isle, Shore Acres and Riviera Bay is closed to local traffic until further notice. Please avoid driving in low lying areas until the water recedes. @StPeteFL pic.twitter.com/hdi1o94KBx — St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) December 17, 2023

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, Times staff writer

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

Cars stranded... St Pete Beach. pic.twitter.com/IIJJIuY3vT — Mike's Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) December 17, 2023

There also appeared to be significant flooding in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood, which suffered widespread damage during Idalia .

Shore acres completed flooded pic.twitter.com/xHKT9G8971 — Matias (@matdotar) December 17, 2023

This story will be updated.

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Jay Cridlin is an editor overseeing the education team. He can be reached at [email protected].

Max Chesnes is an environment and climate reporter, covering water quality, environmental justice and wildlife. Reach him at [email protected].

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NOAA maps show street-by-street views of Hurricane Ian's destruction

Thursday's view of a marina in downtown Fort Myers, contrasted with a photo from before Hurricane Ian. (NOAA)

We’ve already seen the frightening scenes that Hurricane Ian brought to southwest Florida , but the full extent of the storm’s impact is becoming more detailed now that the federal government is publishing aerial photos taken during recent survey flights. 

Imagery posted on an interactive map was taken by NOAA’s Remote Sensing Division "to support homeland security and emergency response needs" after the storm.  The photos – taken during long sweeps by the agency's Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350CER plane starting on Thursday – cover a 50-mile swath from Cayo Costa, where the storm’s eye made landfall, down to Sanibel and then up the Caloosahatchee River to Fort Myers.

A second 15-mile stretch covers the coast west of Cape Coral.

LINK: See NOAA's damage map

AFTER: The Sanibel Causeway (NOAA)

One of the most obvious features visible in the photos is the destruction of the Sanibel Causeway . Two sections of the span are entirely gone, but the imagery also shows just much sand and debris is covering what remains of the causeway.

Further west, many resorts and homes along Captiva Island appear to be inundated with sand and water, while some boats can be seen up along the shore.

AFTER: Middle Gulf Drive beach in Sanibel. (NOAA)

Photos show the Sanibel Lighthouse is still standing, though it’s not yet clear if it was damaged.

Up the Caloosahatchee, damage to Fort Myers is clear. Boats in the Legacy Harbor Marina were tossed ashore; the nearby City Yacht Basin fared slightly better.

AFTER: The Legacy Harbour Marina (NOAA)

NOAA says the website will be updated as more flights take place.

RELATED: Beloved Bubble Room on Captiva Island is still standing, satellite image shows, but extent of damage unknown

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday as a powerful Category 4 storm with 150-mph winds and a 12-foot storm surge. Several deaths have been blamed on the storm and rescues are still taking place.

Ian has regained hurricane strength in the Atlantic and is expected to make a second landfall Friday night in South Carolina .

AFTER: The Blind Pass area (NOAA)

NOAA’s interactive damage map can be found at https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/ian/index.html .  Note that it may be easier to navigate the site from a desktop computer instead of a mobile device. More details:  https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov /

This story was reported from Tampa, Fla.