Tropical Storm Eta strengthened to a hurricane Wednesday morning before it was downgraded to a storm again as it churns off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico.
A vehicle is seen in flood waters Nov. 12, 2020 as Tropical Storm Eta passes Safety Harbor. LUIS SANTANA | Times
Bayshore Boulevard in is seen flooded Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 as Tropical Storm Eta passes Safety Harbor. LUIS SANTANA | Times
Water floods the street along the marina Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 as Tropical Storm Eta passes Safety Harbor. LUIS SANTANA | Times
Debris is seen along the downtown area Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 as Tropical Storm Eta passes Safety Harbor. LUIS SANTANA | Times
The Pinellas side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway, which was badly flooded Wednesday night. LUIS SANTANA | Times
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Surfer Emily Ashe, 22, Miami, watches an angry Gulf of Mexico as waves pound Pass-A-Grille Beach, St. Pete Beach, during Hurricane Eta, Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm Wednesday afternoon. "Just too messy to surf," said Ashe. "But I love to chase the waves." SCOTT KEELER | Times
High winds and water levels as rain increases due to Tropical Storm Eta, along Bayshore Blvd on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
David Cox, 24, charges his phone while looking at Facebook at the emergency shelter at the Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St N, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Lealman. "This weather is absolutely ridiculous," Cox said. "It's November. We shouldn't have tropical storms in November." Cox has been living on the streets for about two weeks after moving out from a place with his brother, he said. DIRK SHADD | Times
Kaden Mobley, 12, of New Port Richey, counts sandbags while helping load a truck on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, at one of Pasco County's four self-serve sandbag stations (open 24 hours) at the Magnolia Valley Golf Course, 7223 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey, as area residents scramble to protect their property from potential flooding as Tropical Storm Eta begins to deliver periods of squally weather to continue through today and into tomorrow as rain bands move into the Tampa Bay area. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Surfer Emily Ashe, 22, Miami, wades through an angry Gulf of Mexico as waves pound Pass-A-Grille Beach, St. Pete Beach, during Hurricane Eta, Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm Wednesday afternoon. "Just too messy to surf," said Ashe. "But I love to chase the waves." SCOTT KEELER | Times
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Water splashes against the seawall along Pass A Grille Way in St. Pete Beach on Wednesday as squalls from Tropical Storm Eta move through Pinellas County. SCOTT KEELER | Times
Casey Sanders, 38, of St. Petersburg, works in the rain Wednesday to load his hurricane supplies into the trunk of his car in the parking lot at Winn-Dixie, 3327 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St N. "I have kids so I want to make sure I have enough food and water for them," Sanders said. DIRK SHADD | Times
Shoppers stock up on supplies Wednesday as they load their vehicles in the parking lot at Winn-Dixie, 3327 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St N in St. Petersburg. DIRK SHADD | Times
Todd Lynas, produce manager, left, and Marc Sheppard, store manager, work in the rain to install aluminum hurricane shutters on the front windows at Winn-Dixie, 3327 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N in St. Petersburg. DIRK SHADD | Times
Todd Lynas, produce manager, left, and Marc Sheppard, store manager, work in the rain to install aluminum hurricane shutters on the front windows at Winn-Dixie, 3327 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N in St. Petersburg. DIRK SHADD | Times
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Water, paper towels and other groceries fill Leslie Crowell's trunk Wednesday at Publix on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
A woman leaves with groceries Wednesday at Publix on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
Leslie Crowell loads water, paper towels and other groceries into her car Wednesday at Publix on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa. She was headed next to pick up her children from school because classes were released early for the storm. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
Water splashes against the seawall along Pass A Grille Way in St. Pete Beach on Wednesday as squalls from Tropical Storm Eta move through Pinellas County. SCOTT KEELER | Times
Rainwater drains from Interstate 275 at First Avenue North in St. Petersburg on Wednesday as squalls from Tropical Storm Eta pass through the area. SCOTT KEELER | Times
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A man rides a bicycle down Dodecanese Boulevard in downtown Tarpon Springs on Wednesday as rain bands move into Pinellas County. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Petra Gringrich, left, and Maria Gomez, both of Tampa, cross a rain soaked Dodecanese Boulevard in downtown Tarpon Springs while shopping Wednesday in heavy rain from Hurricane Eta. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Sponge diver Alan Fox, 16, of Tarpon Springs, slacks the lines Wednesday on his 53-foot sponge boat, the Susie Sea, at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. Fox was preparing the boat for the arrival of Tropical Storm Eta. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Nancy Ferro of Dunedin, center, a baker at Best of Greece, and Charmyn Nixon of New Port Richey, a baker at Hellas Restaurant and Bakery, wait for rides home on Dodecanese Boulevard in downtown Tarpon Springs after they were sent home early from work Wednesday. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Donovan Wood leaves The Home Depot on South Dale Mabry Highway, after picking up extra water in preparation for Hurricane Eta. Wood said he doesn't plan on boarding up his windows, just taking slight precautions, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
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Rhett Moland, 43, and Nikki Lewis, 49, owners of Country Craft Studio in Gulfport, sandbag their business Wednesday, November 11, 2020. ""All we're trying to do is slow ir down and minimize the damage. We're at sea level," Lewis said. JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times
David Green (left) has lunch, provided at an emergency shelter set up due to Tropical Storm Eta, at Middleton High School, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
City of Tampa volunteer, Maria Henley, speaks with a woman at an emergency shelter set up due to Tropical Storm Eta, at Middleton High School, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
Hand sanitizer is pictured at the volunteer table at an emergency shelter set up due to Tropical Storm Eta, at Middleton High School, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
Nurse Liza Hart (back) and Jennie Mosbauer, a nutritionist, speak with a man at an emergency shelter set up due to Tropical Storm Eta, at Middleton High School, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
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A man sits with his suitcase while staying at an emergency shelter set up due to Tropical Storm Eta, at Middleton High School, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
Charles Phillips, of Port Richey, secures his tailgate after loading sandbags onto his pickup truck on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, at one of Pasco County's four self-serve sandbag stations (open 24 hours) at the Magnolia Valley Golf Course, 7223 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey, as area residents scramble to protect their property from potential flooding as Tropical Storm Eta begins to deliver periods of squally weather to continue through today and into tomorrow as rain bands move into the Tampa Bay area. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Austin Jackson, 17, of New Port Richey, loads a sandbag into a truck on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, at one of Pasco County's four self-serve sandbag stations (open 24 hours) at the Magnolia Valley Golf Course, 7223 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey, as area residents scramble to protect their property from potential flooding as Tropical Storm Eta begins to deliver periods of squally weather to continue through today and into tomorrow as rain bands move into the Tampa Bay area. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times
Alyssa Onessimo, 15, on left, and her sister Adriana Onessimo, 18, work to fill two gas container for their family's generator in preparation for Hurricane Eta at the 7-Eleven on 22nd St N and Dr MLK Jr St N, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in St. Petersburg. DIRK SHADD | Times
High winds and water levels as rain increases due to Tropical Storm Eta, on Davis Island, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
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High winds and water levels as rain increases due to Tropical Storm Eta, on Davis Island, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times
High winds and water levels as rain increases due to Tropical Storm Eta, on Davis Island, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 in Tampa. MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times