GAINSWave Therapy in Northdale, FL

TAMPA, FL — While it may be sunny in some parts of Tampa Bay on Tuesday afternoon, the scene outdoors will look a lot different in 24 hours as Hurricane Ian approaches.

A hurricane warning and storm surge warning are in effect for Tampa Bay, according to meteorologist Dan Noah with the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay.

Residents are urged to prepare for tropical storm-force winds of 50 to 60 mph with gusts of 90 mph starting early Wednesday morning and continuing through Friday morning, with the possibility of winds exceeding more than 110 mph.

The NWS said the winds will be a threat to both property and lives as Hurricane Ian moves closer. Residents should prepare for catastrophic damage from the extreme winds, which will be the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane or higher.

Stay up-to-date by viewing all Hurricane Ian coverage on Patch here.

Find out what's happening in Tampawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The winds have the potential to cause structural damage to sturdy buildings, some with complete roof and wall failures, and destroy mobile homes.

"Locations may be uninhabitable for weeks or months," said Noah.

Related: Hurricane Ian In Photos: FL Residents Prepare For Major Storm Ahead

Residents can expect to see numerous large trees snapped or uprooted, and fences and roadway signs blown over.

Many roads, causeways and bridges will become impassable due to large debris, especially in urban or heavily wooded places.

Additionally, residents should plan for widespread power and communications outages.

The National Weather Service said there's a potential for 5 to 8 feet of storm surge above ground in some surge-prone areas and flooding greater than 6 feet above ground beginning early Wednesday morning.

Large areas inundated with storm surge flooding could experience battering waves and structural damage to buildings, with some buildings washing away.

The damage will be compounded by floating debris.

Large sections of near-shore escape routes and secondary roads may be washed out or severely flooded. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed.

There may be severe beach erosion with significant dune loss and major damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks and piers.

Related:

Many small craft will break away from moorings, especially in unprotected anchorages, with some lifted onshore and stranded.

Additionally, a flood watch is in effect throughout Tampa Bay, with 12 to 18 inches of rainfall possible. Rivers and tributaries may overflow their banks in many places with deep, moving water. Small streams, creeks, canals and ditches may become raging rivers. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed.

Buildings throughout the area could be flooded, with some buildings becoming uninhabitable or washing away.

Escape routes and parking lots could flood. Underpasses may be submerged underwater and roads and bridges could be washed out or weakened, making them dangerous to cross.

The NWS said driving conditions will become very dangerous by Wednesday morning.

The hurricane could also spawn tornadoes. Several places may experience tornado damage including roofs torn off frame houses, mobile homes demolished, boxcars overturned, large trees snapped or uprooted, vehicles tumbled and boats tossed about.

Listen for tornado watches and warnings. If a tornado warning is issued, be ready to shelter quickly.

Here's how residents can help the homeless population at Tampa Hope this holiday season.

|Updated Wed, Nov 23, 2022 at 10:45 am ET

TAMPA, FL — On Saturday, a local athletics organization for kids served up a Thanksgiving feast to 100 residents at Tampa Hope, a temporary shelter in downtown Tampa for those experiencing homelessness.

Tampa Hope also provides clothes, food, counseling, job placement and more to homeless men and women.

R.U.F.F. Athletics is a Christian-based organization that works to build confidence in kids through sports. It operates a track and field team for kids, who took part in the day of volunteering at the Tampa Hope site.

Sharika Smith-Ball, who serves as one of the CEOs of R.U.F.F. Athletics, experienced homelessness as a child and understands the challenges faced by the residents of Tampa Hope. Now, her family and her organization focus on giving back.

“It’s a very valuable thing for our kids to be able to understand that at some point, we will all need a helping hand,” Smith-Ball said. “Empathy, kindness and grace are key. Tampa Hope is an incredible organization providing a lifeline to people in our community. This day of service is a reminder to our kids to appreciate all the blessings they have in their lives."

Find out what's happening in Tampawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Tampa partnered with the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg to create Tampa Hope to serve the city's most vulnerable groups, setting up a camp of temporary tents to provide housing.

“In Tampa, we help each other in times of need, and this is a perfect example," Castor said. "This incredible initiative is offering potentially life-saving resources like shelter, food and a place to shower to those that need them most, and it will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community. The sooner we start taking care of each other, the sooner we can get through this together.”

By the time the temporary shelter closed on June 3, 2020. During the 65 days in operation, it served 210 homeless men and women and placed 76 into permanent housing.

During that time, no resident tested positive for COVID-19.

But the need for sheltering the homeless didn't end there, said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

Castor said it became obvious that a permanent site was needed where homeless residents could shelter in place and receive aid.

According to the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative, on any given night in the greater Tampa Bay area, there are several thousand homeless men, women and children. These people are sleeping on the streets, behind buildings, in encampments, in cars, emergency shelters and transitional housing.

During the initiative's last Point in Time count of the homeless population on Feb. 24, volunteers and staff counted 534 homeless women and 974 homeless men in Hillsborough County. Of these, 147 were military veterans, 114 were chronically homeless and 151 were families.

In 2021, Hillsborough County saw 3,876 people experiencing homelessness for the first time.

Consequently, the city worked with Catholic Charities to purchase a permanent location for a shelter on Dec. 13, 2021.

Plans are underway to ultimately house 300 people and provide the services needed to allow them to obtain permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

Fundraising is now underway for the $6.6 million needed to open the shelter, including rehabilitating existing structures, acquiring shelter space, new construction and the development of support facilities.

The city and Catholic Charities estimate it will cost $1.3 million to operate the shelter during its first year. The city has pledged $750,000 for operating costs and Catholic Charities has received $2.295 million in additional funding, leaving a need to raise $5.6 million.

In the meantime, the city’s Homeless Advocacy Team helps reach out to people dealing with homelessness and directs them to the resources and wraparound services found at Tampa Hope.

“I am so proud and grateful to be working with Catholic Charities on this compassionate and innovative program to help people along the path to self-sufficiency,” Castor said. “I believe firmly that this city’s success depends on improving the quality of life for every Tampa resident no matter their current economic status. Tampa Hope will improve and save lives.”

“Tampa Hope is a great starting point in helping rebuild lives,” said Maggie Rogers, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. “This is a place where you can stay off the streets and find safety and a true support network to lift you up when you need it most.”

Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that 1 in 8 people face hunger. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

Tampa and Sarasota are among the best places to live in the United States, according to a new ranking released by Money.

FLORIDA — Tampa and Sarasota in Florida are among the best places to live in the United States, according to a new ranking released this week by Money.

The 2022 ranking of 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. includes cities that offer the best in what matters most to residents: economic opportunities, quality of life, and diversity, according to Money. This year, researchers also set out to feature a more diverse list of cities than in past years.

“We kept returning to the question, ‘best places to live for whom?’” researchers said on Money’s website. “(Previous cities were) often quaint, affordable — and unintentionally yet overwhelmingly white. We wanted to create a more welcoming list for a broader group of people this year, so we restructured our data gathering and ranking processes to reflect that priority.”

Tampa ranked the highest on the list among cities in Florida at No. 9 on the list. With a population of 379,742 people, Tampa residents have a median household income of $70,145, while the city’s unemployment rate is 2.7 percent.

Here is some of what Money found to be among Tampa's assets: "Tampa is a rare combination of action-packed and affordable: The median home sale price is about $381,000, one of the lowest on our list, and you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck. There’s nightlife galore in the Ybor City district. Tampa’s 20- and 30-somethings also flock to spots like Angry Chair Brewing, which serves its famous stouts alongside kitchen faves like pickle dip, and Taco Bus, which was dishing burritos out of its yellow school bus way before food trucks were cool.

Find out what's happening in Tampawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The Tampa Bay area — which includes nearby cities like St. Petersburg and Clearwater — is bursting with culture. Check out Surrealist art at the Dalí Museum or see a touring Broadway show at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. Go to the beach or Busch Gardens, home of the award-winning Iron Gwazi roller coaster. And don’t miss Gasparilla, an annual pirate festival with a Mardi Gras-style parade."

Sarasota ranked No. 43 on the list. With a population of 56,115 people, Tampa residents have a median household income of $64,142, while the city’s unemployment rate is 2.6 percent.

Among the top selling points for Sarasota, Money says: "Located on the west coast of Florida, Sarasota is a paradise for beach, culture and wildlife lovers. Sunbathers can enjoy sandy stretches on nearby Siesta Key (which has a thriving social scene — ever seen that MTV reality show?) and Longboat Key (where hundreds of sea turtles lay their eggs every year).

"Art fans won’t feel out of place, either. Sarasota boasts the Ringling Museum, a museum built by circus operator John Ringling and his wife in the 1920s. Styled after the Uffizi in Florence, Italy, the museum is home to pieces from artists like Peter Paul Rubens as well as a massive courtyard filled with bronze cast statues — including a replica of Michelangelo’s David.

Also included on the list is Altamonte Springs north of Orlando, ranked 38th.

To determine the cities on this year’s list, Money analyzed data in nine different areas: cost of living, diversity, economic opportunity, education, fun and amenities, health and safety, the housing market, income and personal finance, and quality of life.

Data was collected from several sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Read more about the methodology for Money’s Best Places To Live.

The top city on this year’s list is Atlanta, Georgia.

“This is no accident,” researchers said. “At a time when people are becoming much more introspective about their role in society, our goal this year was to name a number one where anyone can feel like they belong. And for that, Atlanta is hard to beat.”

Following Atlanta is Tempe, Arizona, at No. 2, and Kirkland, Washington, at No. 3.

See the full list of Best Places To Live.

The Tampa opening marks the jewelry brand's first brick-and-mortar location in Florida.

|Updated Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 5:01 pm ET

TAMPA, FL — gorjana, the Southern California-based jewelry brand known for its laid-back style, announced it is continuing its nationwide retail expansion with the opening of its first Florida location in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village on Jan. 13.

gorjana’s Tampa location will allow customers to shop the nationally recognized brand’s popular designs, ranging from plated to fine necklaces, earrings, bracelets, custom-engraved pieces and more, including the largest selection of fine jewelry available at any gorjana store nationwide.

The new storefront at Hyde Park Village will have a coastal feel inspired by co-founders Gorjana Reidel and Jason Griffin Reidel’s Southern California roots with light wood finishes, a crystal quartz chandelier and a hand-dipped Lauren Williams Tapestry inspired by the iconic Laguna Beach coastline.

“The gorjana brand draws so much inspiration from the coast, so we couldn’t be more excited to find our new home in a thriving seaside city like Tampa, and specifically in Hyde Park Village,” said Reidel. “We look forward to getting to know our Tampa neighbors and their personal styles.”

gorjana’s expansion into Tampa follows a year of growth for the brand, most recently in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and continuing across the country in 2023. With an ever-growing collection of timeless designs, gorjana offers something for everyone. Its renowned in-store stylists offer exceptional service, including curating layered looks that help shoppers express their unique personal styles and complimentary engraving for online orders.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"We are thrilled that gorjana's first store in Florida will be located at Hyde Park Village, representing yet another exciting first-to-market addition for our guests to discover. gorjana has absolutely captivated customers across the country with eye-catching designs. We know Tampa will appreciate how effortless gorjana makes it to accessorize an outfit, allowing them to choose from an extensive array of fine jewelry," said Nicole Dee, general manager of Hyde Park Village.

gorjana will be located at 1602 W. Snow Ave., Suite 700B. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Florida Department of Health says cases of RSV are much higher than the past 5 years. Officials are also monitoring flu, COVID trends.

|Updated Tue, Oct 25, 2022 at 11:28 am ET

FLORIDA — Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a fairly common illness that can cause breathing difficulties in young children, is surging early across Florida and nationwide, and infectious disease experts are worried whether hospitals will be able to keep pace.

Nationally, some 7,334 RSV tests came back positive for the week ending Oct. 15, up from 6,518 the week before and 5,210 the week before that, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Florida Department of Health said RSV levels in Florida are higher than they've been in the past five years. The DOH said they are "notably above levels observed at this time in typical years."

Currently, four of Florida’s five regions are in RSV season, said the Florida DOH.

Of special concern to Florida health-care providers is that the RSV season is longer in Florida than the rest of the country and has distinct regional patterns.

Find out what's happening in Tampawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Health officials are warning of a possible “tridemic” or “tripledemic” if the RSV peak coincides with seasonal peaks in influenza and COVID-19. The three illnesses have similar symptoms.

From Oct. 14 to Oct. 20, there were 10,111 new COVID-19 cases and 38 deaths reported in Florida for a positivity rate of 7.1 percent.

Health-care providers are also reporting an increase in flu in a number of Florida counties.

The flu season in Florida began Oct. 2 and runs through May 20. The predominant strain, A H3, is sending an increasing number of patients to the emergency room, reported the DOH.

In the more than three weeks since the start of the flu season, state health officials reported that 322 people tested positive for the flu in Florida.

There are no inoculations against RSV, as there are for both the flu and COVID-19, but a couple of pharmaceutical companies are working to develop vaccines.

RSV cases fell dramatically two years ago when schools, day cares and businesses shut down to control the spread of COVID-19. Doctors saw an alarming increase in what is normally a fall and winter virus when coronavirus restrictions were eased in the summer of 2021.

Here are five things to know about RSV:

Almost all U.S. children catch an RSV infection by the time they are 2. Symptoms include a runny nose, cough and fever, and people who are infected are typically contagious for three to eight days.

However, babies and people with weakened immune systems can spread RSV for up to four weeks.

RSV poses the biggest threat to infants, older adults and people with suppressed immune systems, and can cause serious airway and lung infections.

“You and I get it as a common cold,” Dr. Elizabeth Mack, a pediatric critical care physician at Medical University of South Carolina, said in a news release.

“But babies with any viral illness are more likely to struggle with it because their airways are smaller. It's hard to clear the secretions,” Mack continued. “They’re obligate nose breathers, meaning they mainly breathe through their noses. So when their noses are stopped up, it causes problems with their breathing.”

Breathing problems can interfere with a baby’s ability to eat.

“And that’s really when we start to worry,” Dr. Melanie Kitagawa, of Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, told the Associated Press.

“They’re breathing fast, breathing deep. We see them using muscles in their chest to help them breathe,” Kitagawa said. “These are kids who are having difficulty taking a bottle because their breathing is being impacted, and they can't coordinate both at once."

In typical years, 2.1 million children 5 years and younger are treated, and 58,000 of them are hospitalized. RSV is responsible for between 100 and 300 deaths in children younger than 5, according to the CDC.

Among adults 65 and older, about 177,000 people are hospitalized every year, resulting in 14,000 deaths.

Babies and children were sheltered from common bugs during COVID-19 lockdowns, and that leaves them highly vulnerable, according to health experts.

Mack said after two years of masking, which protected children from all respiratory viruses, it’s unclear if immune systems are reacting differently to viruses people have not encountered in recent years.

Also, the babies’ mothers may not have been infected with RSV during their pregnancies, which could have offered some immunity to their children.

There is no specific treatment for RSV; rather, it’s a matter of managing symptoms and allowing the virus to run its course. Doctors may prescribe oral steroids or an inhaler to make breathing easier.

In serious cases requiring hospitalization, patients may be put on oxygen, a breathing tube or a ventilator.

To prevent the spread of RSV, health-care providers recommend the same precautions they do with influenza and other contagious illnesses: Wash your hands thoroughly and stay home if you’re sick.

But if you’re worried your child is having a severe breathing problem, “do not hesitate” to go to an emergency department or call 911, Dr. Russell Migita, of Seattle Children’s Hospital, where RSV is on the rise, told the AP.

Less serious symptoms can usually be handled by regular health-care providers, including those available in telehealth appointments, or by going to urgent care.

Also, doctors advise people to get flu shots and COVID-boosters.

“We don’t want a triple whammy, a triple pandemic,” Chicago physician Dr. Juanita Mora, who on Saturday saw a family of five kids, all with RSV, told the AP.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.