Tampa Bay’s regulars — our barkeeps, retirees, refugees — all had the same reaction this week in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, no matter what part of the region they call home. Surprise. Never seen it this bad.

Residents of the booming region are confronting a new reality: Even when storms make landfall far away, their impact is being felt.

More than 50 people have died across five states as Hurricane Helene's massive rains and powerful winds sent devastating floods and widespread destruction across the U.S. Southeast, leaving millions without power.

The Pinellas County death toll from Hurricane Helene is up to eight as of Saturday morning, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in an interview Saturday. According to the sheriff:

Hurricane Helene is growing into a vast, powerful storm. The National Hurricane Center's computer modeling, which ensures such storms don't sneak up on anyone, predicts Helene will make landfall as a potent cyclone in Florida's Big Bend region on Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of homes are without power. Many are flooded. Streets are impassible. Emergency services are inundated with pleas for help. And reports of people fleeing from overnight surge are still pouring in.

Sand piled along Gulf Boulevard looked like snowbanks. Boats were dragged ashore into downtown Gulfport. And waters submerged the streets of Davis Islands even after the sun rose and surge elsewhere across Tampa Bay had receded.