He estimates that five feet of water inundated his decades-old business and nearby home. The bait shop has operated in Manatee since 1955 and has been owned by Shear for about 29 years. "It was a big ass storm,

Hurricane Helene, now with winds at 125 mph, has sent rain, wind and storm surge into Sarasota and Manatee counties.

“The large size of the storm is going to push so much water,” NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said in an update Wednesday morning. “When it comes to storm surge, the size of the hurricane is often more important than the intensity, which is often hard for people to digest.”

Manatee County officials have issued evacuation orders for residents in Level A and a recommended evacuation order for residents in Level B. To check your zone, visit www.MyManatee.org/storm or www.FloridaDisaster.org/KnowYourZone.