On Pass-A-Grille Beach, forecasters projected 6 feet or greater of water above ground just hours before Hurricane Helene's storm surge peaked on Thursday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service flew over the Tampa Bay area on Sunday to help document the storm damage from above. [ National Ocean Service ]

Monday morning, roughly three days after the Tampa Bay region felt the historic punch of Hurricane Helene as it charged up the Gulf Coast, tens of thousands of local residents still had no electricity.

With every passing hour since Hurricane Helene swiped Tampa Bay, a stark reality sharpens: We're at the beginning of a long road to recovery. State of play: Governments, organizations and industrious neighbors are working to provide immediate relief to storm survivors,