Pinellas updates hurricane evacuation zones, affecting 93,000 residents
May 18, 2022 - In a release Wednesday, Pinellas County announced its emergency management department updated evacuation zones ahead of the 2022 hurricane season. The changes affect nearly 48,000 households and 93,000 people. The county adopted the new evacuation zones based on the latest storm surge data models from the National Hurricane Center and more accurate elevation data. According to the release, the updated data helps determine where storm surge poses the greatest threat to life. Over 34,000 addresses moved from a lower-risk zone to a higher-risk zone. Pinellas officials encourage residents to check their evacuation zones by looking up their addresses at storm.pinellascounty.org.