Know your Pinellas evacuation zone, St. Pete's sandbag sites, the county's St. Petersburg shelters and the storm supplies that are tax-free all year.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of St. Petersburg Hurricane Center, Pinellas County Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Revenue. Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30.

The city puts it plainly: much of St. Pete lies in evacuation zones. Storm surge, not wind, drives evacuation orders here, and Pinellas County issues them by zone. The time to look up your zone, sign up for alerts and plan where you would go is before a storm is named.

Who to call

1. Know your zone

Find your evacuation zone two ways:

  • Pinellas County’s Know Your Zone site, which also maps the shelters that are open during an event.
  • The city’s Prepare, St. Pete map, which shows evacuation zones alongside FEMA flood zones and the city’s own stormwater floodplain, where heavy rain alone can flood streets.

The county’s advice: if you live in an evacuation zone and are ordered to leave, leave. Even on an upper floor above the expected surge, your building can be cut off by water for days.

2. Sign up for alerts

Alert Pinellas sends emergency notices by text, call and email. The city also posts storm updates on its social media accounts (@StPeteFL and @StPetePW) and on StPeteTV.

3. Sandbags

St. Pete residents can pick up up to 10 sandbags per household with proof of residence, per the city’s sandbag page.

All year: Pavement and Traffic Operations Building, 1744 9th Ave. N, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and every second Saturday.

After a tropical storm or hurricane warning, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Site Address Type
Dell Holmes Park 2741 22nd St. S Self-service
Fossil Park, northernmost lot 6875 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N Self-service
Walter Fuller soccer field lot 2800 75th St. N Self-service
Lake Maggiore Park shelter area 3601 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. S Staff help
Northeast Park, east baseball field lot 955 62nd Ave. NE Staff help
Northwest Swimming Pool lot 2331 60th St. N Staff help

Used sandbags cannot go in landscaping; take them to the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex, 3905 114th Ave. N.

4. Shelters in St. Petersburg

Pinellas County lists these as shelters that could open in St. Petersburg. Not every shelter opens for every storm; check the county’s shelter page or Know Your Zone before you go.

Shelter Address Type
Campbell Park Elementary 1051 7th Ave. S General
Fairmount Park Elementary 575 41st St. S General
Jamerson Elementary 1200 37th St. S General
Melrose Elementary 1752 13th Ave. S General
New Heights Elementary 3901 37th St. N General
Sanderlin K-8 2350 22nd Ave. S General
Sexton Elementary 1997 54th Ave. N General
SPC Midtown 1300 22nd St. S General
Gibbs High 850 34th St. S Pet-friendly
Lealman Exchange 5175 45th St. N Pet-friendly and special needs
John Hopkins Middle 701 16th St. S Special needs

Red Cross general shelters cannot take pets; use a pet-friendly shelter or make other plans for your animals. Bring the supplies on the county’s emergency kit list.

Need help evacuating? Residents who cannot get themselves to a shelter must pre-register with the county’s Evacuation Assistance Program at 727-551-3822 or online, well before a storm.

5. Buy supplies tax-free, any time

Florida no longer holds a hurricane sales tax holiday. Since Aug. 1, 2025, these items are always exempt from sales tax, per the Department of Revenue’s tax notice:

  • AA, AAA, C, D, 6-volt and 9-volt batteries
  • Portable generators up to 10,000 running watts
  • Portable gas cans of 5 gallons or less
  • Waterproof tarps of 1,000 square feet or less
  • Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
  • Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers
  • Coast Guard-approved life jackets

6. Before the storm arrives

From the city’s Hurricane Center:

  • Bring trash and recycling carts in from the curb so they are not swept away.
  • Electric vehicles: charge to 100% if you will drive it out; if you leave it, park away from flood-prone areas and at least 50 feet from buildings and other cars, unplugged and under 30% charge. Never drive or charge an EV that has sat in saltwater.
  • Boats: pull them from the water if you can and strap them to the trailer well before tropical-storm-force winds arrive.
  • Plan for three to seven days without normal services.

After the storm

Report power outages to Duke Energy (see our power outages page), fallen trees and city problems through the city’s service center, and storm repairs need permits; see building permits for the 49% rule.

What this means for you

  • Look up your zone today and save the county’s shelter page.
  • Grab sandbags from 1744 9th Ave. N before a warning is issued.
  • Stock batteries and a generator any time; there is no tax to wait out.

Frequently asked questions

What evacuation zone am I in in St. Petersburg?

Look up your address on Pinellas County’s Know Your Zone site or the city’s Prepare, St. Pete map. Evacuation orders are issued by zone, and the city says much of St. Pete lies in an evacuation zone.

Where can I get sandbags in St. Petersburg?

Year-round at the Pavement and Traffic Operations Building, 1744 9th Ave. N, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays and every second Saturday. Up to 10 bags per household with proof of residence. Six more sites open when a storm warning is issued.

Which hurricane shelters in St. Petersburg take pets?

Pinellas County lists Gibbs High, 850 34th St. S, and the Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St. N, as pet-friendly shelters. Only go when the county says a shelter is open.

Is there a hurricane sales tax holiday in Florida?

Not anymore. Since Aug. 1, 2025, portable generators up to 10,000 watts, common batteries, tarps, gas cans and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are tax-free all year.

When is hurricane season?

June 1 to Nov. 30.