[Don and Sandy Troublefield of Largo,left, and their granddaughter Kneely Morgan watch a wave break against the jetty on the south end of Clearwater Beach Wednesday while looking for shells. Jim Damaske, Times]
See more photos here.
Water pushed into low-lying areas around Tampa Bay by Hurricane Ike is receding after high tide this morning.
Tides were about four feet higher than average about 10 or 11 a.m., but water around the area has receded about a foot and a half since this morning, said Bay News 9 chief meteorologist Mike Clay. He said people should remember that the minor flooding is saltwater, not fresh, from swells pushed into Tampa Bay by Hurricane Ike. He advised people not to drive in it.
Clay said today's water levels will probably be a little higher than tomorrow's because the bay area was already experiencing a higher than normal tide. Tonight's tide will be very low.
"The water's going to stay up tomorrow," Clay said.
There have been minor breaches of seawalls along St. Pete Beach, but no major damage reported so far, said Josh Linker, a meteorologist with Bay News 9.
Residents could see similar higher water levels tomorrow -- about two to three feet over average high tide levels.
Linker said Old Port Tampa and Port Manatee saw similar tides, but levels should begin dropping soon.
The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory and a coastal flooding statement for Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties. The weather service says these conditions could cause dangerous rip currents, as well as "minor coastal flooding in vulnerable locations as well as possible beach erosion."
Kim Wilmath and Curtis Krueger, Times staff writers
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