We know the future is actually now, and when it comes to climate change, this is a very bad development. Ian has gone from a potential category 2, to what is now, at the edge of category 5. There are reasons for this, that resident experts like Pakalolo with a whole lot more knowledge than me can unwrap, but the easiest explanation is that the expected wind shear did not phase it. But, we will figure that part out later.
Right now, an area near Punta Gorda north to Sarasota is projected to be absolutely gut punched. The unexpected strength is motivating last second evacuations, because this is coming in much more powerfully than they thought. It is coming. Done deal. So what can you do if you need help?
Ground zero is expected to be Charlotte County. Here are the available shelters:
"Leave now if you are going to a shelter," the county said in a news release. "Evacuations have been ordered for anyone in Zone A-Red, Zone B-Orange, as well as residents in any zone living in mobile and manufactured homes. It is advised you stay with friends and family members who live outside of evacuation areas or flood zones, in a well-constructed home. If you have no place to go, shelters are refuges of last resort."
Charlotte County opened Babcock School Field House as another shelter.
It is located in Babcock Ranch at 43301 Cypress Parkway, Punta Gorda, in the southeast part of the county.
• Kingsway Elementary School, 23300 Quasar Boulevard., Port Charlotte
• Liberty Elementary School, 370 Atwater St., Port Charlotte
• Neil Armstrong Elementary School, 22100 Breezeswept Ave., Port Charlotte
• Harold Avenue Regional Park Recreation Center 23400 Harold Ave., Port Charlotte
Of extreme importance to my heart and soul, is the shelter’s ability to accept pets. According to this link, Charlotte County shelters are pet friendly.
Sarasota county is also opening schools as shelters.
Public shelters (all pet-friendly)
- Atwater Elementary School, 4701 Huntsville Ave, North Port
- Booker High School, 3201 N Orange Ave, Sarasota
- Brookside Middle School, 3636 S Shade Ave, Sarasota
- Fruitville Elementary School, 601 Honore Ave, Sarasota
- Gulf Gate Elementary School, 6500 S Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota
- Heron Creek Middle School, 6501 W Price Boulevard, North Port
- North Port High School, 6400 W Price Boulevard, North Port
- Phillippi Shores Elementary School, 4747 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
- Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota
- Southside Elementary School, 1901 Webber St, Sarasota
- Taylor Ranch Elementary School, 2500 Taylor Ranch Trail
- Woodland Middle School, 2700 Panacea Boulevard, North Port
All that said, it is important to note that this storm is a degree or two wobble away from a much more dangerous impact to Tampa metro. And even without what would be considered a direct hit, impacts will still be enormous. Thus the following information may be useful to you.
Hillsborough County shelters below:
Public shelters
- Benito Middle, 10101 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa
- Bevis Elementary, 5720 Osprey Ridge Dr., Lithia
- Bowers-Whitley Career Center, 13609 N. 22nd St., Tampa
- Boyette Springs Elementary, 10141 Sedgebrook Dr., Riverview
- Brandon High School, 1101 Victoria St., Brandon
- Cimino Elementary, 4329 Culbreath Rd., Valrico
- Dorothy York Innovation Academy , 5995 Covington Garden Drive, Apollo Beach
- Hammond Elementary, 8008 N. Mobley Rd., Odessa
- Jennings Middle, 9325 Govenors Rd., Seffner
- Knights Elementary, 4815 N. Keene Rd., Plant City
- Lockhart Elementary, 3719 N 17TH St., Tampa
- Marshall Middle, 18 S. Maryland Ave., Plant City
- Martinez Middle, 5601 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
- McKitrick Elementary, 5503 Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
- Middleton High School, 4801 N 22nd St., Tampa
- Mulrennan Middle, 4215 Durant Rd., Tampa
- Nelson Elementary, 5413 Durant Rd., Tampa
- Newsome High School, 16550 Fishhawk Blvd., Lithia
- Pizzo Elementary, 11701 Bull Run, Tampa
- Pride Elementary, 10310 Lions Den Dr., Tampa
- Reddick Elementary, 325 West Lake Dr., Wimauma
- Sessums Elementary, 11525 Ramble Creek Dr., Tampa
- Summerfield Elementary, 11990 Big Bend Rd., Riverview
- Tomlin Middle, 501 N. Woodrow Wilson, Plant City
- Turkey Creek Middle, 5005 Turkey Creek Rd., Plant City
- Turner Elementary, 9020 Imperial Oaks Blvd., Tampa
- Valrico Elementary, 609 S Miller Rd., Valrico
- Wharton High School, 20150 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa
- Yuengling Center, 12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa
More information about the shelters is on the county’s website.
Special needs shelters
- Erwin Technical, 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa (Pet-friendly) – closed
- Riverview High School, 11311 Boyette Rd., Riverview (Pet-friendly)
- Strawberry Crest High School, 4591 Gallagher Rd., Dover (Pet-friendly)
- Sumner Elementary, 16650 Co. Rd. 672, Riverview (Pet-friendly)
To register online for a special needs shelter in Hillsborough County, click here.
Pet-friendly shelters
The county has eight more pet-friendly shelters that are not special needs:
- Barrington Middle, 5925 Village Center Dr., Lithia
- Bartels Middle, 9190 Imperial Oaks Blvd., Tampa
- Burnett Middle, 1010 N Kingsway Rd., Seffner
- Durant High School, 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City
- Sickles High School, 7950 Gunn Highway, Tampa
- Shields Middle, 5732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin
- Smith, SGT Paul Middle ,14303 Citrus Pointe Dr., Tampa
- Steinbrenner High School ,5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
To review pet shelter requirements, click here.
Pinellas County
Public shelters
- Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St. N., St. Petersburg
- Ross Norton Recreation Center, 1426 S Martin Luther King Jr Ave, Clearwater
Special needs shelters
- Dunedin Highland Middle, 70 Patricia Avenue, Dunedin
- John Hopkins Middle, 701 16th St S, St. Petersburg
Pet-friendly shelters
- Largo High, 410 Missouri Ave, Largo
Manatee County
Public shelters
- Bayshore Elementary School, 6120 26th Street West, Bradenton
- Freedom Elementary School, 9515 State Road 64 East, Bradenton
- Gullett Elementary School, 12125 44th Ave. East, Bradenton
- Harvey Elementary School, 8610 115th Ave. East, Parrish
- Lee Middle School, 4000 53rd Avenue West, Bradenton
- McNeal Elementary School, 6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton
- Miller Elementary School, 601 43rd Street West, Bradenton
- Myakka Elementary School, 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City
- Rogers Garden Elementary School, 515 13th Ave West, Bradenton
- Williams Elementary School, 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish
- Willis Elementary School, 14705 The Masters Avenue, Bradenton
Pet-friendly shelters
- Braden River High School, 6120 26th Street West, Bradenton
- Manatee High School, 902 33rd Street Court West, Bradenton
- Mills Elementary School, 7200 69th Street East, Palmetto
Pasco County
Public shelters
- Centennial Middle School, 38505 Centennial Road, Dade City
- Cypress Creek High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road, Wesley Chapel
- Cypress Creek Middle School, 8845 Old Pasco Road, Wesley Chapel
- Pasco Middle School, 13925 14th Street, Dade City
- Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, 30649 Wells Road, #3903, Wesley Chapel
- Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Avenue, Wesley Chapel
Special needs shelters
- Fasano Regional Hurricane Center, 11611 Denton Avenue, Hudson (also pet-friendly)
- Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Boulevard, Wesley Chapel (also pet-friendly)
Pet-friendly shelters
- Fivay High School, 12115 Chicago Avenue, Hudson
- River Ridge Middle and High Schools, 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey
- Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Boulevard, Land O’ Lakes
Hernando County
Special needs shelters
- Challenger K-8, 13400 Elgin Blvd., Spring Hill
Pet-friendly shelters
- Enrichment Center Inc. of Hernando County, 800 John Gary Grubbs Blvd., Brooksville
- Explorer K-8, 10252 Northcliffe Boulevard., Spring Hill
How to find your evacuation zone
Please pay close attention to your emergency management officials and obey roadblocks/detours and the like. Do not attempt to cross standing water. Please keep in mind this storm is projected to wash over and shut down I-75, and if you are going to a shelter with your pets, please use the information above to check on requirements.
Also, please make sure to verify this information, as events can and often do unfold quickly that require shifts in plans.
To readers not directly affected, if you pray, then I ask you send prayers, if you are more of the lines of vibes, positive thoughts, please send the people in the line of this storm’s fire those as well.
Southwest Florida will be forever different after today.
For my part, I am feeling quite ill, so I may not be able to update this as frequently as information is made available, so please use the comments to help me out. I appreciate it. Love to all,
-ROC
UPDATE: If you want an idea of what the damage and recovery might look like, a video of a similar scenario to this was done some years back. It’s prescience in retrospect is chilling.
-ROC