Along the crisscrossing streets of Shore Acres, homes were tied together by a devasting string — waterlines at least 4 feet high marking low-level homes. On Friday afternoon, residents were assessing damage from Hurricane Helene’s record overnight storm surge.

Record-setting storm surge and damage from high winds have caused significant damage across Florida’s Gulf Coast, from Tampa Bay northward.

Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater will experience hurricane-force winds and catastrophic storm surge due to the storm’s huge wind field, despite being far from the forecast landfall region.