WELL, It looks like it's "That Time of the Month" again (Sarasota: homes, beach)

[wondermint2]

Sarasota Police Department
@SarasotaPD

https://twitter.com/SarasotaPD/statu...22178099310655

1 p.m. update: The Ringling Causeway Bridge and the Siesta Bridge (Siesta Dr) remain closed. We have officers blocking the entrances to each bridge. We will keep you updated on our social media pages as to when the bridges reopen.

[wondermint2]

US 41 bridges closed in Charlotte County

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us...ec908d55&ei=22

The US 41 bridges over the Peace River are CLOSED until further notice due to flooding from Hurricane Idalia.

Storm surge, high tides and excessive rainfall from Hurricane Idalia have caused widespread localized flooding, particularly in coastal areas.

The Beach Road causeway leading to Manasota Key is closed until further notice.

Officials are asking drivers to avoid downtown in Punta Gorda where there are reports of flooded roads and disabled vehicles stretching from Cooper Street to Berry Street.

Parts 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. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH PONDING WATER.

[wondermint2]

From about 8 minutes ago:

Sarasota Police Department
@SarasotaPD

https://twitter.com/SarasotaPD/statu...49000568455515

8m
⚠️ UPDATE ⚠️ The Ringling Causeway Bridge is now open up until Bird Key. Anything west of Bird Key remains closed due to flooding. NB & SB 41 at the Bayfront is open, including the Gulfstream roundabout. The bridge at Siesta Dr remains closed. We will let you know when it is open

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

From about 34 minutes ago:

https://twitter.com/BradentonPD/stat...66099868967173

Bradenton Police Department
@BradentonPD

Here are more photos from our officers of Wares Creek, where the water has breached the retention wall. #StormSurge #Idalia

From about 2 hours ago:

Bradenton Police Department
@BradentonPD

See video here:

https://twitter.com/BradentonPD/stat...15589002940430

Here's another look at the flooding along Wares Creek. This is Virginia Drive at 7th Street. #StormSurge #Idalia

[wondermint2]

Jesse Mendoza @Reportographer

"More than 50 cars are lined up at the closed Manatee Avenue Bridge, waiting for a chance to return to homes and businesses on Anna Maria Island. I'm told by residents that there is a meeting at 5 p.m. to discuss options."

See photo here:

https://twitter.com/Reportographer/s...50864894742595

[wondermint2]

Photo gallery from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

Hurricane Idalia damage in Sarasota and Manatee counties

https://www.heraldtribune.com/pictur...s/70716167007/

[motordavid]

Thank you for the link(s), wondermint2...and the link above from the H Tribune dropped its usual paywall to allow one to see the photos.
GL, mD

[wondermint2]

City of Bradenton sewage treatment plant offline after Hurricane Idalia

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ci...4a086ebd&ei=38

The city of Bradenton is urging its residents to reduce their water usage after its sewage treatment plant went offline in the wake of Hurricane Idalia.

The city tweeted Wednesday morning that as of 11:20 a.m., the treatment plant is temporarily offline.

It is asking municipal water customers to conserve water until the tides, which are high and caused flooding and road closures throughout Manatee County as the storm passed, subside and water levels return to normal.

The city requests that those who use city water refrain from washing dishes, doing laundry and be sparing in taking showers.

"We'll let you know when you can use your drains again," the city of Bradenton wrote on its website Wednesday

In an interview with the Bradenton Herald, Jeannie Roberts, the city's public information officer, confirmed that Bradenton's drinking water supply is safe. Residents may continue to drink and cook with the water without concern, she said.

The issue is with the city's sewage treatment, and should be resolved by Tuesday evening, she said..

[wondermint2]

Idalia's surge leaves parts of Manatee and Anna Maria Island flooded. Water still rising

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...4a086ebd&ei=45

As the sun came up Wednesday, Bradenton and Anna Maria Island residents woke to find streets underwater from Hurricane Idalia's surge.

Thanks to a westward shift in Idalia's track Tuesday, the storm grazed Southwest Florida as a Category 2 hurricane and spared the region its worst winds and rain.

Power outages were minimal, impacting about 17,000 homes, and there were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage from the storm.

But the storm surge threat was still unfolding. One of the highest tides of the month occurred around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and was anticipated to push rising waters still higher.

"Surge concerns will continue along the west coast even though (Idalia) is pulling away from our area," the National Weather Service of Tampa Bay said. "Remain alert!"

The cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach were under water Wednesday morning.

"We have extreme flooding on all our roadways," Police Chief Bill Tokejar of Holmes Beach said. "The roads aren't passable and no bridges open to Anna Maria Island."

It won't be possible to assess damage until the flooding recedes, Tokejar said.

In the city of Bradenton, Mayor Gene Brown and city administrator Rob Perry were evaluating flooding along the city's riverfront.

At 9:49 a.m., street flooding had reached three or four houses deep from the Manatee River with waters expected to rise even more with the high tide coming at 12:30 p.m., Brown said.

"Some houses along the waterway will be in danger of flooding," Brown said.

Waters could rise another foot or two, he said.

"We are trying to blast out to everyone stay out of the water. We dodged the windstorm, but not the flooding," Brown said.

In Palmetto, Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said there was flooding along Riverside Drive, but roads are passable and city crews were picking up debris Wednesday morning.

"It looks like we fared as well as could be expected. It seems like we have been blessed," she said.

Bill Logan, Manatee County's information manager, said county crews were assessing damage on Wednesday, with an eye toward reopening country buildings on Thursday.

[wondermint2]

Opinion: Ever since Donna, Sarasota has seen more snow than sustained hurricane winds

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...4a086ebd&ei=60

If the Native American burial grounds are not protecting us, then maybe it's the crystal in the sands of Siesta Key. No? Then perhaps it's just dumb luck, which may explain why no one around here ever wins big lottery jackpots, and no one ever will.

Whatever the reason, the Sarasota-Bradenton area has never taken a direct hit from a hurricane since reliable records began in 1871. This is such an impressive streak some local Realtors use it in sales pitches to out-of-state homebuyers. Like we need to attract even more people here.

Now, this little fun fact is almost statistically, if not meteorologically, impossible. In all the years that the weather wonks have been using obnoxious phrases such as "wind event," "rain event," "hunker down" and "ghost town," you'd think that some major hurricane would have smacked us head-on.

I know. Crazy, right? Well, here's something Cat 5 crazy:

Not only has Sarasota and Bradenton never suffered a direct hit, but in the last 63 years, we have never even experienced sustained hurricane-force winds, at least according to the Weather Channel.

Isn't that astounding? Sarasota County has experienced snow (1989) and Manatee County has experienced an earthquake (2006), but neither has felt sustained hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph since Donna in 1960.

Just think of the amount of wood drilled into windows, terrifying nights spent in bathrooms, the unbearable days without air conditioning, the jammed evacuation routes, the monetary cost of damaged homes and buildings and cars, the time away from work and school, and you mean to tell me that technically we don't even know what a hurricane feels like?

The nickname of Manatee High is the Hurricanes, for goodness sake.

According to the Weather Channel, only three metro areas in the country have gone longer than Sarasota-Bradenton when it comes to experiencing sustained hurricane winds. Baltimore (1878), New York City (1893), and Brunswick, Georgia (1928) round out the top three.

We have had serious hurricane gusts approaching triple digits, but sustained winds are different. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, for example, 67 mph sustained winds were measured at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Last year during Ian, it was 61 mph.

Actually, and this is even more amazing, Hurricane Donna may have been the only time in history this area has experienced sustained winds exceeding 73 mph, according to the Weather Channel.