Idalia: Hurricane force winds could brush Sarasota and Manatee as storm intensifies

Local government leaders declared emergencies, announced school closures, began opening shelters, offered sandbags and otherwise took steps to prepare for threats for a growing Tropical Storm Idalia that was expected to become a dangerous Category 3 storm heading north in the eastern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday before an expected landfall on the Florida peninsula.

Manatee County declared a state of local emergency Monday morning and announced plans to open three emergency shelters as the community braced for Idalia.

Live updates: Sarasota and Manatee counties prepare for Idalia

The county planned to open emergency shelters at Virgil Mills, Miller, and Freedom Elementary schools at 2 p.m. on Monday.

"Today is a beautiful day in Manatee County, but of course, we are preparing for a Tropical Storm and eventually Hurricane Idalia," Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge said during Monday morning’s emergency meeting.

Acting County Administrator Charlie Bishop announced that the county is preparing as if Idalia could brew in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and turn into a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall.

"(It’s) expected currently to be a Cat 3 with 115 MPH sustained winds,” Bishop said. “The current arrival time for winds could potentially be around 7 p.m. tomorrow, but that is subject to change. There is the potential for flooding on coastal roads as early as tonight due to the high tides."

The landfill will remain open until 6 p.m. Transit will operate until conditions are unsafe for operation. Trash Pickup will cease after today and will not be operational on Tuesday or Wednesday. County government will shut down Monday at noon.

Manatee County also announced a Level A mandatory evacuation for the most vulnerable areas and a Level B voluntary evacuation.

The Piney Point underground injection well will also be stopped for the duration of the storm, according to officials at the former Piney Point fertilizer plant.

Manatee County opened its self-serve sandbag stations at Manatee Beach at 4000 Gulf Drive; Coquina Beach at 2650 Gulf Drive; Bayfront Park at 310 North Bay Blvd.; Rubonia at 1309 72nd St E.; the 66th Street West fleet building at 4700 66th Street West; and Pride Park 6032 9th Street East.

The city of Bradenton has also made sandbags available at the Public Works Annex building at 1411 9th St. West to city residents as well, as long as they present a valid ID to verify residence.

Residents can visit mymanatee.org/manateeready for up-to-date information including evacuation orders, location, and status of nearby shelters, to check their flood zone, and to register with the county if they have special medical needs in case an evacuation is necessary.

Sarasota County Schools announced the district would be closing Tuesday and Wednesday. New College of Florida also closed for Tuesday, after opening for the first day of classes Monday.

The National Weather Service in Ruskin said at midday Monday that Idalia was expected to become a Category 3 Hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph with forecast computer models projecting landfall locations around Cedar Key, with increasing confidence the storm would make landfall north of Tarpon Springs.

Nevertheless, the proximity of the system held the potential Manatee and Sarasota counties to see wind, storm surge and heavy rains Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

Sarasota and Manatee were under hurricane and storm surge warnings.

Idalia is projected to bring rainfall of 6 to 8 inches of rain to Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Storm surge in Tampa Bay is projected to be 4-7 feet higher than normal; in Sarasota, 3-5 feet above normal and in Charlotte and Lee counties 2-4 feet above normal.

A super moon will contribute to higher-than-normal tides. High tide Wednesday is from 1:53 a.m. to 12:16 p.m.

This is the seventh storm in six years forecast to rapidly intensify in the Gulf of Mexico.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. Monday, two Manatee County dump trucks pulled into Coquina Beach, a third still on route after its tire blew out on the way, according to one of the drivers.

The heat of the day was already rising as the sand was dumped in two piles, a few shovels and sandbags placed nearby. As the morning progressed, dark clouds could be seen unfurling over the Gulf, and an occasional rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance.

Community members trickled into the parking lot near the sand piles and began filling bags to take with them to place around their homes, businesses, and neighbor’s homes. By 10:30 a.m., some 20 or so people had stopped by to grab sandbags.

Alanna Massey and her husband, Fletcher Anderton, made the drive up from the north end of Longboat Key to fill bags with their 1.5-year-old daughter, Ivory.

Massey said their biggest concern is the storm surge and flooding, so their goal was to work all day placing sandbags around the home, bringing in patio furniture, and raising furniture.

The family will most likely leave depending on the direction the storm takes, as they don’t want to get stuck on the island because of the surge, Massey said. While the family had left about a week before Hurricane Ian swept across the area, returning to Arizona, the place they stayed at was fine. She hopes they’ll fare well this year too.

Dave Clement, 66, lives on the second level of a condo in Bradenton Beach but made the drive out to Coquina Beach to shovel sandbags for his downstairs neighbor who’s away.

Clement said he spoke with his neighbors this morning, and while it’s still unclear where the storm will hit, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Well I look at it this way, when you live in a condo association, you know, you’re all connected,” Clement said. “That’s how I look at it. You want to make sure your neighbor’s going to be okay.”

Clement, who’s from Erie, Pennsylvania, said when he first moved here and experienced Hurricane Irma, he hadn’t prepared until the last minute. This year, he’s prepared for whatever may come.

Where is Idalia?

Tropical Storm Idalia was still more than 500 miles southwest of Tampa Bay Monday afternoon but was beginning to pick up speed toward the north-northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Idalia is forecast to pass near or over western Cuba Monday night and over the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday, and reach the Gulf coast of Florida on Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.

When will the winds arrive?

Tropical storm force winds are projected to arrive as soon as Tuesday afternoon.

Manatee County is forecast to have a 95% chance of tropical storm force winds arriving between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Sarasota County is forecast to have an 84% chance of tropical storm force winds arriving between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Will there be storm surge?

Idalia is projected to bring rainfall of 6-10 inches of rain from Tampa Bay north to Chiefland and 6 to 8 inches to Sarasota and Manatee. Waters are expected to rise as early as Tuesday evening, with possible coastal road flooding.

The greatest surge potential is Wednesday near and after the eye wall passes.

Forecasters anticipate a storm surge of 3 to 5 feet in Sarasota; 4 to 7 feet in the Tampa Bay area – increasing to as much as 7 to 11 feet in Levy and Citrus counties.

Manatee County opened self-serve sandbag stations Monday.

How much rain is forecast for Sarasota-Manatee?

Sarasota-Manatee is projected to receive 6-8 inches of rain, with flooding rain possible Tuesday and Wednesday. The rain should help alleviate drought conditions in Sarasota and Manatee counties, where rainfall has been as much as 18 inches short of a typical year.

There is a potential for moderate flooding rain, while flooding could occur near the coast near high tide, as the water has trouble draining.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tropical Storm Idalia: Hurricane winds could brush Sarasota-Manatee