PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — St. Pete Mayor Kenneth Welch gave an update Thursday evening, as Pinellas County anticipates peak storm around midnight.

The mayor said as the county prepares for the storm and for recovery efforts in the morning, residents should stay inside.

Pinellas County is expecting up to 8 feet of storm surge above ground level, which is enough to flood a first-floor home and wash away a vehicle. This water level will cause flooding and make travel and emergency response “impossible.”

“This storm surge is something we have not seen in at least my almost 40 years that I’ve been with this company,” Melissa Seixas with Duke Energy said.

Storm surge is expected to last 12 to 36 hours, Mayor Welch said Thursday morning.

“If flood water begins to enter your home, make sure your power is secured by flipping the main breaker and also turn off the gas,” Amber Boulding, the EM Manager said. “If you can, go to a higher floor.”

Residents are asked to stay off the roads until the storm passes, as roadways are likely to not be passable until Friday evening, officials said.

“Your safety and your family’s safety is our highest priority,” Welch added.

Thursday morning, flooding had already begun in the streets, making driving hazardous. Flooding is expected to worsen as the hurricane continues to approach Florida.

Shore Acres and Snell Isle are closed as of 11:30 a.m. for residents’ safety.

Residents in Zone A or mobile homes were ordered to leave by noon before life-threatening storm surge hits the area.

“Staying put in a Zone A high-rise condo or hotel is not a safe option as building utility and electrical systems are often on the ground floor and could cause a fire when flooded,” Pinellas County Emergency Management Director Cathie Perkins said.

Perkins also said the forecasted surge is likely to be higher than what the area experienced during Hurricane Idalia in 2023, which flooded 1,500 homes.

“Evacuees do not need to leave the area; they merely need to move to higher ground,” the county said Thursday. “They are encouraged to stay with family or friends, in a hotel, or in one of six public shelters Pinellas County has opened, including pet-friendly and special needs shelters.”

Shelter and resources in Pinellas County can be accessed here.

To find your evacuation zone, click here.

Hurricane Helene is now at a Category 2 level, with wind speeds at 100 mph. It is forecasted to make landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4.

Max Defender 8 Meteorologist Amanda Holly said the storm will bring peak water levels onshore Thursday night, as Florida is already seeing higher-than-normal water levels.