Sunshine Skyway reopens after tropical storm warnings discontinued in Tampa Bay

Tony Marrero, Tampa Bay Times
Updated ·2 min read

ST. PETERSBURG — Troopers reopened the Sunshine Skyway bridge in both directions just before 4 p.m. Thursday, hours after high winds from Tropical Storm Nicole closed the bridge early Thursday morning.

Nicole passed through the Tampa Bay area through the morning and early afternoon Thursday before emerging over the Gulf of Mexico and turning to the northeast. At 4 p.m., the National Hurricane Center said tropical storm warnings had been discontinued for Florida’s east coast south of the Flagler/Volusia county line and south of Aripeka on the state’s west coast.

The Florida High Patrol announced about 6:45 a.m. Thursday that the Skyway had been closed because winds had reached 50 mph. The Highway Patrol typically closes the bridge when winds exceed 40 mph.

The other major Tampa Bay area bridges — the Howard Frankland, the Gandy and the Courtney Campbell Causeway — remained open on Thursday morning.

Times staff writer Matt Cohen contributed to this report.

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