As the booming region faces the possibility of a direct hit from a major hurricane, the risks from storm surge are severe.

On Pass-A-Grille Beach, forecasters projected 6 feet or greater of water above ground just hours before Hurricane Helene's storm surge peaked on Thursday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service flew over the Tampa Bay area on Sunday to help document the storm damage from above. [ National Ocean Service ]

The Gulf Coast is once again hunkering down, this time ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected mid-week landfall. Pinellas County residents in zones A, B and C are urged to evacuate, with mandatory orders likely to come early this week.