ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — To those who live on the narrow spit of land that is the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood — the tail end of barrier islands extending from St. Pete Beach up to Clearwater known as “The Key West of Tampa Bay beaches” — it’s a slice of paradise developed at the turn of the century and historically sheltered from major storms.

Hurricane Helene made landfall Sept. 26 in Florida's Big Bend region near Perry, which is about 322 miles north of Fort Myers. The Category 4 storm reportedly left more than 30 people dead and millions without power from Florida to Virginia as of Sept. 27.