It is common for strong hurricanes to displace wildlife, and the FWC issued a warning in 2022 that alligators, snakes and bears could be seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which hit southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm in September of that year.

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.