We want to get to our reporter Chris Rogers,
who's been in Pinellas County.
And Chris, earlier, like yesterday,
you were outside the Saint Pete Pier.
Where are you this morning?
Yeah, Caitlin. Good morning, Caitlin.
Frank, good morning.
We are on 14th St right
now in Saint Petersburg.
You mentioned our friends down
in Fort Myers a moment ago.
Obviously, the damage here is significantly
less than they're seeing there,
but you can see some pretty
heavily downed trees behind me.
This is a large tree on 14th St
that's been completely uprooted,
stopping anyone from traversing this area.
Now, originally we were a little concerned
because it looked like maybe some
downed power lines came down with it.
But those actually turn out to be
kind of some fluorescent lighting
that's been strung across the street.
And this is a good reminder,
however,
to remind people at home when they're
out assessing damage this morning
to avoid those downed power lines.
I know that you guys have been reiterating
that for the last couple of days,
but it's always important to remind
people to avoid those downed power lines.
This is not that situation.
The power lines are further N to us,
but I will say this this is this
is kind of a familiar scene as
we've driven around this morning.
So if you're if you're leaving
the house this morning to.
To damage, to assess damage property,
potentially to check in on
friends and family.
Definitely pack your patience because
there are a lot of roadways that have
scenes just like this one right here.
And another reminder, we're not seeing
as heavy winds as we were yesterday.
Obviously.
It's actually notable,
noticeably calmer,
of course, but.
There's a lot of these trees
have loosened a little bit.
We've been kind of walking around out
here this morning with our flashlights,
taking a look at the base of trees.
And this is an area that,
even though it seems pretty
chaotic right now,
that we deemed was actually pretty safe to
show you guys from a visual perspective,
in Largo,
up to the northwest of us,
there's some shopping plazas that we'll
check in with you a little bit later
that have some significant damage,
some of the big signs going down there.
So wind damage is really the the
name of the game right now here
in southern Pinellas County.
Obviously power outages are our
big issue as well as they are
across the Bay Area.
I mean just driving around this morning,
there was not a light on
unless there was a generator.
So I mean the street run right now,
if you want to pan around my photojournalist,
you can just see it is pitch black.
None of these houses have lights on.
So I mean in this area of
of Pinellas County at least,
power is out and trees are down.
So that is something to keep in
mind this morning if you are out and
about in southern Pinellas County,
obviously the damage could have
been so much worse in this area.
And the damage is still much
worse in so many
other parts of Southwest Florida.
But right now,
this is kind of the name of the game.
This is there's a lot of downed trees,
there's a lot of debris in the roadway, so.
Driving could be a real issue this morning.
Just be aware of your surroundings.
That is really the motto is,
be aware of your surroundings.
Know if there's downed power lines.
Know that you're going to probably
have to take some alternate routes
when you're driving this morning.
There is so many trees down,
there are power lines down,
there are signs down.
Businesses have been damaged,
but wind damage is really what we're
going to be assessing this morning.
The full picture probably won't be
very clear obviously, as it won't
be across Southwest Florida until.
The sun starts to come up this morning,
but just what we've seen so
far in the last hour or so,
this has been really the, the, the.
The full picture is is that
there is trees down everywhere.
There's.
Businesses that have been damaged,
homes that have been damaged.
So that's what we're seeing so
far this morning.
Coming up a little bit later,
guys,
we are going to check in with you from
Largo where we're hearing reports of
significant wind damage there as well.
So we are really going to be all
over this county this morning,
just seeing what people are experiencing,
talking with people,
seeing what they experience.
We're going to be talking about
power outages.
We're going to be hearing from
officials this morning about when power
is expected to be restored as well,
guys.
Are you OK? I I'm just wondering too,
kind of this sense of of what it feels
like weather wise out there right now.
We spoke with Liz and Wesley Chapel,
really gusty winds there.
Aaron Parsigian this morning is in
Polk County where the rain still coming
down looks like it's pretty dry there,
but what are the conditions
like outside right now?
Yeah. And I heard, uh, Aaron and
Liz's reports just a little bit ago,
and it sounds like they're experiencing much
more significant weather than we are here.
It is actually pretty
peaceful out here right now.
We're getting a couple gusts,
but nothing like we experienced yesterday.
There's no rain right now.
The wind gusts are significantly
less than they were yesterday.
So I mean, you can,
you can kind of get a sense of it as
compared to some of our live shots yesterday.
The wind is not that bad at all.
We're kind of in a protected area right now,
but things have really seemed to calm down.
At least in this part of
southern Pinellas County,
we're gonna get a more clear picture as we
travel around further around the county.
But right now in southern Pinellas County,
we're waking up to a much calmer morning,
which is very good news for
the folks living here.
Caitlin,
that is great news.
Chris, quick question for you because
you've been in the mix for some time now
covering these types of storms as well.
You said you drove around for a minute there.
This apparently the the best case scenario
of the worst situation that one could
even imagine right there you got down.
Trees surrounding you?
What else did you see out there?
Put it into perspective for us.
Yeah, Frank, I think that you
summed it up actually perfectly.
This is the best case scenario in what
could have been a worst case scenario
and in many cases is a worst case
scenario for folks further S but I
think that for what it could have been,
people living here in southern
Pinellas County will be very grateful
that downed trees are going to be
some of the worst of the problems.
Now, to paint a clear picture,
what we're seeing just briefly this
morning driving around is just a
lot of trees and debris, right?
I mean, we we we knew that.
It's gonna be the case,
but downed power lines have been
a real problem as well.
Obviously power is out for this entire area.
And my photojournalist now giving you
kind of a look at what is pretty typical
on a lot of these streets around here,
you're going to see pretty big branches,
trees, down leaves, palm fronds,
those types of things.
That's been kind of what we've seen so far.
Obviously as we travel further
throughout the county,
it is, you know,
potentially there could be more
damage throughout the county.
But right now if if this is what
the case is here.
Pinellas County,
as the sun comes up and and power outages and
downed trees are the worst of the problems,
I think that a lot of folks will be
waking up this morning just praying
and and and and being very grateful
for the situation here right now.
Chris, thank you so much.
We'll check back with you in a
little bit and I know again as
we as we see the sunrise we're
going to see a whole lot more.