Hurricane Idalia Wednesday updates: Schools reopening, Manatee $2M damage estimate

This post is no longer being updated. Read Thursday's live updates here.

Hurricane Idalia made landfall on the Florida Big Bend coast Wednesday morning as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph. At 8 a.m. the storm was about 10 miles southeast of Perry. The storm had reached Category 4 strength earlier. The hurricane was moving northeast at 18 mph and was expected to move into southern Georgia later today, then along the coasts of South and North Carolina today and Thursday. Rain bands were still moving through the Sarasota-Manatee area.

Idalia in Sarasota-Manatee: Storm surge and related flooding prove to be the biggest local impact

See radar, current conditions: Weather watches, warnings issued for Sarasota-Manatee area

Manatee Schools join Sarasota in reopening Thursday

Manatee County Schools will open Thursday following Hurricane Idalia, the district announced Wednesday evening.

Extracurricular activities and Extended Day will also resume, according to the announcement. Athletics will also resume, but some activities could be postponed based on the availability of teams involved.

Sarasota County Schools had announced earlier Wednesday that it would be reopening Thursday.

Siesta Drive Bridge and north bridge to Longboat Key reopened, with conditions

Sarasota police issued an alert on social media that the north Siesta Key bridge at Siesta Drive is open. "It is passable by one lane and we are asking drivers to be cautious as they head onto the island because many of the side streets are still flooded," the post said.

Meanwhile, the Town of Longboat Key posted an alert that re-entry for Longboat Key and business owners only is now available via the north end of the island by the Cortez or Manatee Avenue Bridge, and then over the Longboat Pass Bridge.

New College, USF Sarasota-Manatee reopening

New College of Florida and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee will both reopen Thursday following Hurricane Idalia, the colleges announced Wednesday. The schools had closed Tuesday ahead of the storm.

USF's St. Petersburg campus, however, will remain closed until Friday, the announcement said

Tampa International reopened, full operations begin at 3 a.m.

Tampa International Airport reopened to arriving flights at 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to a news release on the airport’s website, with plans to resume full operations by 3 a.m. Thursday.

Airport staff inspected the airfield and facilities Wednesday morning, determining that the airport did not sustain any serious damage from Hurricane Idalia beyond some flooding, which didn’t seem to impact runways, the release said.

“TPA is fortunate to have avoided the worst effects of such a dangerous storm, after acting in an abundance of caution to protect the safety of our passengers, employees and facilities,” Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano said in the news release. “We’re focused now on returning to full operational capacity to continue serving our community and to assist in recovery efforts for our fellow Floridians.”

The parking garages, SkyConnect train, rental car center and some other services were also operational Wednesday as part of the partial re-opening. The re-opening will also allow airlines to return aircraft and crews to the area for flights tomorrow morning, the release said. TSA security checkpoints will be open Thursday morning.

Passengers are urged to arrive at least two hours before their scheduled departure time Thursday as airport officials are expecting high passenger volumes. Officials also stated passengers should check with their airlines for the latest information on flight status.

Tampa International Airport’s general aviation airports — Tampa Executive, Plant City and Peter O. Knight, which experienced significant flooding — will remain closed until at least Thursday, the release said.

FHP: Skyway reopens

The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the Skyway Bridge has been reopened. The fishing piers and rest areas remain closed at this time.

In addition, the Howard Frankland Bridge and the Gandy Bridge across Tampa Bay are open, but the eastbound lanes of the Courtney Campbell Causeway remain closed.

The Gandy Bridge is open.

Damage to waterfront in Sarasota

Photos by Thomas Bender taken today along the Bayfront in downtown Sarasota.

Do not touch exposed sea turtle nests and eggs

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, in a social media post, urged people who see exposed sea turtle nests and eggs not to touch the eggs because the best chance for them to hatch is to leave them alone.

Sea turtles, and their eggs, are protected by law, and it is illegal to touch one of any size.

Once it is safe to do so, members of Mote’s trained and experienced Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program staff will begin documenting which nests are present, re-posting marking stakes if they have been washed away, and collecting data about the current status of nests while continuing their regular monitoring of new nests and hatches.

About 75% of all nests this season hatched before Hurricane Idalia arrived and preliminary surveys have observed some nests surviving the storm.

Also, Mote explained, sea turtles have a natural nesting strategy for events such as storms. Each female lays several nests along the beach to ensure that at least some of them will be successful.

No storm season is a total loss for Florida’s sea turtles. Even in years when Florida sustained direct hits from multiple storms, hatching and emergence success rates were still well within the normal range.

Manatee County's preliminary damage estimate: $2 million

Manatee County is reporting a preliminary $2 million in damage after an initial sweep of Hurricane Idalia's impact on the community, according to a press release issued Wednesday afternoon.

Barrier island communities  of Holmes Beach,  city of Anna Maria, Longboat Key, and Bradenton Beach all had impassible roads due to saltwater that flowed from the Gulf of Mexico into the Intracoastal Waterway.

No casualties or injuries have been reported in the county, but damage estimates have already climbed above $2 million.

Evacuation orders expired as of 2 p.m., and residents who can safely access their homes may do so. The bridges to Anna Maria Island are expected to open at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The city of Anna Maria is open for residents and business owners only.

Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) will resume operation Thursday. The county waste pick up will also resume, with normal Tuesday pick-ups on Thursday, Thursday pick-ups on Friday, and Friday pick-ups on Saturday. There will be no recycling or yard waste this week.

Drawbridges to Anna Maria expected to open at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday

Anna Maria Island resident Floyd Calhoun is helping authorities out, and personally held up a sign to tell hundreds of island residents and business owners the answer to their questions: the drawbridges to Anna Maria Island are expected to open at 4:30 p.m.

Holmes Beach Police Department confirmed the opening time to the Herald-Tribune Wednesday afternoon, just as rains and winds started to pick up again.

Nearly 100 cars lined up Wednesday afternoon, waiting to cross the bridge to see what has become of their properties on the other side.

Callhoun was third in line, he owns a duplex on the barrier island.

"It's for sale by the way, if anyone wants to buy the thing," he said Wednesday from the side of Manatee Avenue. He held a sign with the time 4:30 written in big bold letters.

Calhoun rode out the hurricane at his mother's home in Plant City.

"My wife will love to hear that I was told by her that I shouldn't come down here this early because I'll never get back on the island until this evening anyway," he said. As you'll see I'm number 3 in line. I've got my truck, I've got power. I'm going to spend the next hour and a half watching Netflix while I'm waiting."

Casey Key water service restored, boil water in effect; some parks events affected by storm

Sarasota County has restored water service to most Casey Key residents. A boil water advisory is in effect for Casey Key residents.

All outdoor reservations for Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources – including athletic fields – are canceled for for Thursday,

All indoor reservations will be honored, with the exception of the Englewood Sports Complex.

Breeze OnDemand by Sarasota County resumed regular service Wednesday, Aug. 30, in the Venice/Englewood zone and North Port zone.

There may be isolated traffic impacts in the two zones that are open. Riders may request trips through the Breeze OnDemand app, online at scgov.net/breeze or by calling 941-300-1553.

Due to flooding, the Lido/Longboat/Downtown Sarasota zone and Siesta Key Zone will be closed Wednesday.

Ringling Causeway bridge reopens to Bird Key traffic only

The city of Sarasota reopened the John Ringling Causeway for access to Bird Key only. Traffic to St. Armands and the barrier islands is still restricted.

Manatee bridge backed up

More than 50 cars are lined up at the closed Manatee Avenue Bridge on Wednesday afternoon, waiting for a chance to return to homes and businesses on Anna Maria Island.

The bridges remain closed. Residents are planning a meeting at 5 p.m. to discuss options.

Evacuation order still in place

The Level A evacuation order for Sarasota County has not been lifted, even though the evacuation centers have been closed.

County officials urged residents who cannot return home because of flooding or damage to stay in a safe place – including with family and friends if possible.

Flooding on St. Armands Circle in Sarasota

The Sarasota Police Department shares video of flooding on St. Armands:

ST. ARMAND'S CIRCLE⚠️ Serious flooding at St. Armand's Circle. Please do not attempt to go to the barrier islands. The water will only continue to rise as we get closer to high tide and see more storm surge. The storm is not over. Please remain sheltered and do not venture out. It is NOT safe to drive in these conditions. | Sarasota Police Department

Flooding hits Rubonia

Emergency crews have responded to the low-lying Rubonia community in Manatee County, where many homes have been flooded by Hurricane Idalia.

Although the storm has passed, floodwaters continue to be a problem for residents in the community.

Bradenton resident Hollace Bostic said he has been helping his family, and stood on the side of the road on Wednesday watching the water lap over the door of his mother's blue house.

"There's water in there," he said. "Rubonia didn't flood like this until they started plugging up some of the drainage overflows that used to run across 41 over there. Then Rubonia really started to flood. Then if you ride from here up, you notice there is no flooding anywhere other than here."

Farrah Mac and her family woke up at about 3:30 a.m. when water started to come in through her front door. The family decided to evacuate, and returned Wednesday to assess the damage to her home and the rest of the Rubonia community.

"I'm really concerned because they just did all this work out here two years ago, this was supposed to changed this," Mac said. "I've lived here since I was a little girl. It hasn't flooded in 30 years. I haven't had water in my house in 30 years, and boom. Today."

Manatee County Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge said the county recently completed about $6.5 million worth of stormwater drainage improvements over the past two years in the community. He said although the project has been effective, it was not intended to handle issues such as Idalia's storm surge.

"There is a difference between rainwater and storm surge, and today we are dealing with storm surge," Van Ostenbridge said. "Terra Ceia Bay is across the street, and there is a bayou directly adjacent to Rubonia, and the water level in the bayou and the water level in the bay is the same level we're seeing on the streets."

Flooding for Bradenton resident

Robin Cope, a longtime resident of Bradenton who graduated from Southeast High School, slowly drove his silver Chevy Traverse down a flooded 2nd Ave. E. in Bradenton just before noon, his house located further down the way.

The water is inching closer to his house. He estimates it's about a foot from the building and his neighbors across the street — who Cope says have cancer — are already underwater.

“This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” Cope said. “And the people that I live with, they’ve lived there for 50 years and they said it’s the worst they’ve ever seen it too.”

While Hurricane Ian had more wind, Hurricane Idalia has been 10 times worse because they’ve received more rain and flooding. Cope added everyone tried to get as many sandbags as they could ahead of the storm, but some people weren’t able to get sandbags.

He’s worried about the pump house nearby getting backed up and the sewage surging back onto the yards nearby.

Last year, the sewage line apparently busted at the intersection of Vermont Ave. E. and 2nd Ave. E., Cope said, adding residents were told the sewage line would be fixed in six weeks, but it’s still not fixed. Cope said over 300 yards of sewage line was busted and it’s outdated.

Cope drove away to meet a friend of his who lives on Upper Manatee Road, as he said they’re currently stuck, and since his car is a little bigger, he’s hoping to help them out.

Sarasota Schools reopening Thursday; Manatee still assessing with update planned later today

Sarasota County Schools will reopen on Thursday, according to an automated phone message sent to district parents and guardians Wednesday.

Sarasota schools used as shelters closed Wednesday and were being cleaned in preparation for school re-opening on Thursday. Bell schedules and bus routes will be normal, but the district said to expect transportation delays due to possible flooding.

In Manatee County, district officials are still assessing damage to schools and will provide updates later Wednesday, the district said. There was still no set date for schools to re-open in Manatee as of Wednesday morning. The district said it expects to have an update at about 5 p.m., according to a social media post.

Sarasota County added that operations including transportation services, food services and after school activities would resume Thursday. The Superintendent Listening Tour meetings slated for tomorrow evening (Thursday, Aug. 31) will both be held as scheduled. Parents with children enrolled at a charter school, should check directly with their school for updates on reopening.

School buses will be running their normal routes, but there may be some delays due to receding water and excess traffic moving through the county, the district news release said. As a reminder, our district uses WheresTheBus, which offers real-time route updates. For more information about the app and how to sign up, please visit: www.sarasotacountyschools.net/Page/3459.

The district also noted:

If your child usually walks or bikes to school, please consider “testing out” their usual route to ensure that biking/walking is still a safe travel option.

Families, please let your school know if returning to school is a hardship – our school-based & district teams can help provide resources where possible.

Employees, please let your supervisor know if you will need to take time off before you can safely return to work.

Sarasota County to resume normal operations Thursday

Sarasota County is planning to resume normal operations Thursday morning. The main concern Wednesday afternoon continues to be assessment of coastal areas

“Our coastal areas are experiencing some impact to those roadways, we’re asking people to steer clear of Casey Key, Siesta Key, all the keys and coastal areas as we get out there to further do some assessments,” Sarasota County spokeswoman Jamie Carson said Wednesday morning.

“We’re assessing all of our areas today so we ask the community to understand that there might be some interruptions to individual facilities and services and to continue to follow the county’s websites and social media, our local media partners and to call 311 for the most updated information.”

In addition to flooded roads, county officials must still surrey impacts to area beaches.

“Our beach assessments we just had that beach repair at south Turtle Beach and that’s got to be taken a look at and assessed to see the status of that,” Carson added. “Our parks, recreation natural resources team is out there checking on their facilities and making those determinations of what can open and what programs and services can resume on Thursday.

“Same thing for our library and historical resources – we know the community is eager to resume normal operations, we are planning to do so on Thursday but we continue with those assessments.”

Venice spokeswoman Lorraine Anderson had a similar message about staying off of flooded streets and city beach areas. Instead, city employees are posting videos of current conditions on social media.

“Brianne (Lorenz) just went out in the field and she has a video of the South Jetty that we just posted – it’s washing over,” Anderson said.

“It’s ongoing and we don’t know that we’ve seen the worst yet,” she added. “Let us take the videos and we’ll put them on our social and you can view them safely there”

Siesta Key flooding appears limited

Siesta Key appeared to experience minor flooding from Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday morning at about 11 a.m. but with the worst of the storm's effects were likely past.

Some residential neighborhood streets were flooded, but the barrier island the waters appeared to be receding.

Joseph McGurer said the water was knee deep at 9 a.m near Beach Access 9 when he had to wade into the storm waters to rescue his girlfriend's car, which had stalled as she attempted to drive to the Circle K in Sieta Key Village. His girlfriend, a manger at Circle K, was relieving the overnight shift employee, who had kept the convenience store open during the hurricane.

"The worst of it is gone," McGurer said.

Sarasota-Manatee Publix stores reopen with regular hours

Publix grocery store officials are continuing to monitor the path of Hurricane Idalia as it tracks northeast into Georgia, across Sarasota-Manatee are reopening with regular store hours this morning. The Publix at Bay Street location near the U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 split near downtown Sarasota reopened Wednesday morning to customers along with dozens of other in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Publix's Bay Street store manager Heatherly Faulkner said the store traffic was slow around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday but that customers were looking to get back into the stores today.

"We're doing good, the rain bands are weird right now but we haven't had any damage or issues," Faulkner said. "I'd say 99% of our calls this morning have been people asking if we are open."

Faulkner said Hurricane Idalia's anticipated landfall on Monday and Tuesday prompted a surge of customers in the store earlier this week.

"Before the storm we were very busy, even closing at 5 yesterday we were above the volume of the storm last year. I think once the weather clears a little more, people will be back out and looking to get in the store."

Updates on closures or store hour modifications can be found on the Publix storm website at https://www.publix.com/pages/publix-storm-basics/publix-store-status.

Anna Maria island flooding

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office shares photos of flooding on Anna Maria Island and warns that waters will rise.

Venice reporting some flooding, road closures

The city of Venice said areas experiencing flooding include: Tarpon Center Drive at The Esplanade; Venice Avenue at The Esplanade; Everglades Drive; Flamingo Drive; Villa Drive; Golden Beach Boulevard and Gardena Drive.

Tarpon Center Drive is closed to non-resident traffic just before the Crow’s Nest. Venice Police will continue to monitor conditions at this location.

Trash, recycling and yard waste services for the City will resume Thursday, Aug. 31. Thursday collections will occur as usual. Missed collections will occur on customers’ next scheduled pickup day.

There will be no collections on Sept. 4 due to the Labor Day holiday..

Venice City Hall, the Venice Museum, bill pay/service areas at Venice Public Works and Utilities, Venice Police Department lobby, Venice Fishing Pier, Humphris Park/South Jetty, and the Children’s Fountain in Centennial Park remain closed Wednesday.

Venice Municipal Airport will remain closed through 2 p.m. today, Aug. 30.

Sarasota County: Storm impacts not over as high tide will increase surge

The major impact of Hurricane Idalia in Sarasota County appears to be storm surge, with officials cautioning that it is not safe to walk around in floodwaters as high tide has yet to come.

“We’re seeing a lot of videos … where people are out in the water right now and the water is going to rise,” Sarasota County spokeswoman Jamie Carson said Wednesday morning. “We’re asking our community members to please stay safe, please be smart."

High tide in Venice is  at 11:11 a.m.; on Anna Maria Island at 11:43 a.m., in Sarasota Bay at 12:15 p.m., in Englewood at 1:36 p.m.

Sarasota County public works crews are still assessing infrastructure damage. Carson noted that some roads are not passable, while there has been significant damage to some roadways.

Storm surge impacted two roads that run along the beach – Manasota Beach Road north of Blind Pass Road and Casey Key Road north of Blackburn Point Road.

More than 300 people took shelter in Sarasota County evacuation centers, Carson said, then added that the county is still assessing whether the centers will remain open Wednesday night.

The Stickney Point Road bridge is closed to traffic wishing to access Siesta Key.

“One of our biggest concerns right now, as everyone is leaving the evacuation centers trying to return to normalcy is safety,” Carson said. “Right now, we’re focused, hour-by-hour on making our community safe.”

-- Earle Kimel

FPL: Many still without power

Of Manatee County’s 202,980 FPL customers, 15,260 were impacted by the storm. Of those, 12,170 were already restored and 3,090 remain without power, according to FPL’s Power Tracker.

More storm coverage: Sarasota-Manatee shelters open for Hurricane Idalia, community seeks 'peace of mind'

Of Sarasota County’s 293,620 FPL customers, 22,920 were impacted. Of those, 16,130 have had their power restored, and 6,790 still have no power.

Holmes Beach flooded

Video provided by the Holmes Beach Police Department shows substantial flooding on the island.

Sarasota Police: Stay away from barrier islands

Sarasota police warn that high water causing flooding will continue to rise as high tide and surge worsen.

North Port: roadways clear of flooding and debris, aid provided to Longboat

City of North Port crews have checked typical problem areas this morning and roadways have been clear from flooding and debris. We are continuing to monitor tides and water levels but there is currently capacity in the flood control system.

The city's fire rescue team is providing aid to the Town of Longboat Key to assist with flooding.

Solid Waste crews are continuing to run the Tuesday route today for trash, recycling and yard waste. Crews will continue to run today and tomorrow to pick up any missed homes. City residents with questions can call Public Works at 941-240-8050.

City Hall and other city offices are closed today but will reopen Thursday.

Tornado warning issued for parts of Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto

The National Weather Service in Ruskin issued a tornado warning for Southeastern Manatee County, northwestern DeSoto County and east central Sarasota County until 9:45 a.m. At 9:15 a.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 11 miles northeast of North Port, moving northeast at40 mph. Radar indicated rotation in the rain band from Hurricane Idalia.

Sarasota closes U.S. 41 along bayfront, Ringling and Siesta Key bridges closed

The city of Sarasota has closed U.S. 41 along the Sarasota Bayfront between Fruitville Road and Main Street because of street flooding.

The John Ringling Bridge and Siesta Key Bridge have been closed to traffic going onto the barrier islands because of flooding on the keys.

Casey Key Road North of Blackburn Point Road and Manasota Key Road north of Blind Pass are closed.

High tide in Sarasota is expected at 12:15 p.m., and emergency management officials anticipated that it would take hours for the water to recede.

Flooding along Bradenton Riverwalk

Ticket editor Wade Tatangelo took this photo along the Manatee River this morning:

Sunshine Skyway closed

The Florida Highway Patrol said the Sunshine Skyway Bridge remains closed to all traffic as sustained wind speeds are now between 50 to 60 mph.

The agency said northbound lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge across Tampa Bay and the eastbound lanes of the Courtney Campbell Causeway are closed due to storm surge and flooding.

The Gandy Bridge was open as of about 9:45 a.m.

Everyone is encouraged to remain sheltered and stay off the highways at this time, the FHP said.

Gusty winds at SRQ

A wind gust of 70 mph was reported at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport this morning. Winds are expected to diminish this morning and while water levels are high along the coast, they should recede as the high tide passes.

U.S. 41 bridges in Charlotte County closed

The U.S. 41 bridges over the Peace River are closed until further notice due to road flooding in Punta Gorda, according to the county. Storm surge, high tides and excessive rainfall from Hurricane Idalia have caused widespread localized flooding, particularly in coastal areas. These conditions will continue to worsen this morning.

The Beach Road causeway leading to Manasota Key is closed until further notice. Avoid driving in downtown Punta Gorda where there are reports of flooded roads and disabled vehicles stretching from Cooper Street to Berry Street. Sections of Riverside Drive in Punta Gorda and Harborview Road and Bayshore Drive in Charlotte Harbor are susceptible to flooding. Hydroplaning incidents have been reported by law enforcement.

Residents and visitors who do not need to travel are advised to remain at home and not drive on roadways. Charlotte County reminds motorists to remain alert at all times and to exercise caution when traveling. Travelers are encouraged not to drive through roadways that are underwater and find an alternate route. Remember, turn around, don’t drown.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hurricane Idalia Wednesday updates: Effects in Sarasota-Manatee