BY JOSH BOATWRIGHT Tribune staff

Published: June 7, 2013

In fact, on Friday it looked like any other sunny beach day here.

Only a few days into what's predicted to be an overactive hurricane season, though, local leaders are hoping the good fortune holds out, especially as several area beaches remain in dire need of renourishment.

Local and federal authorities spend millions each year in Pinellas County to maintain the area's greatest tourism asset, 35 miles of powder-white beaches, and a couple of bad summer storms can significantly increase those costs.

"I believe we are fairly lucky this time," said Ping Wang, a geology professor at University of South Florida who studies Pinellas beaches.

"[Tropical Storm] Debby lasted much longer, for three days; this storm only lasted five, six hours. So, the storm didn't quite have enough time to cause major erosion."

The brunt of Andrea came during low tide, missing the afternoon high tide window that would have turned her two-foot storm surge into five, potentially crashing over the dunes in places such as Sunset Beach, Wang said.

Sunset and Sunshine beaches in Treasure Island, as well as Pass-A-Grille and Upham beaches on Long Key, lost an enormous amount of sand last summer after Debby's incessant pummeling.

Treasure Island's beaches qualified for emergency federal funds and are scheduled to be renourished this fall at a cost of $12 million, including $4 million in county and state funds.

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Pinellas beaches appear OK after Andrea