The Sunshine Skyway Bridge was closed Thursday afternoon as Hurricane Helene’s winds increased over Tampa Bay.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, wind gusts reached 60 miles per hour. The bridge typically closes when winds reach a sustained speed of 45 miles per hour.

The Howard Frankland Bridge, Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell Causeway remain open to motorists. Aggressive wave action from Tampa Bay could close these bridges later in the day.

But the dangers began early Thursday.

By 10 a.m. Thursday morning, waves from Tampa Bay had already begun crashing into the northern Howard Frankland Bridge toward Tampa, spraying water across the concrete.

Hurricane Helene’s initial impact on Tampa Bay’s bridges mirrors what happened nearly two months ago during Hurricane Debby, which hit the region as a tropical storm. Then there was flooding and damage to the dams in the low-lying, north-bound section of the Howard Frankland.

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