Sarasota, Bradenton roads close as Tropical Storm Debby flooding continues
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The conditions yesterday afternoon at Bahia Vista Street and Quail Run Trail in Sarasota. Photo: Sarasota County
As Tropical Storm Debby continues to soak the southeast, rainfall totals from the storm's deluge on Florida's Gulf Coast are breaking records.
Why it matters: Many residents are still grappling with flooding, which forecasters expect to continue through the week.
Driving the news: As of Tuesday afternoon, dozens of roads were closed in hard-hit Manatee and Sarasota counties. Many closures were clustered around rivers and creeks pushed to the brink by the rainfall.
- The Myakka River has been above flood stage since Monday afternoon and is expected to continue rising, according to the Sarasota Herald Tribune.
- The Manatee River crested Monday night and has begun receding.
Stunning stat: A National Weather Service monitor at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport recorded 11 inches of rainfall — the highest one-day total since recording began in 1911, Tony Hurt, a Ruskin-based NWS meteorologist, told Axios.
- Some parts of Sarasota and Bradenton saw as much as 18 inches of rain over Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday, Hurt said.
Meanwhile, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties got an average of 13-14 inches over the same period, he said.
- Flooding impacted low-lying communities that often face standing water during storms, like Gulfport and St. Pete's Shore Acres neighborhood, but also hit higher areas like an apartment complex in Largo, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
- Hillsborough Fire Rescue crews evacuated residents from rising waters in Ruskin, the agency said Tuesday. Nearby Wimauma and Lithia were also experiencing severe flooding on Tuesday, per the Times.
- The Alafia and Hillsborough rivers were at flooding stage Tuesday afternoon, with the Anclote River in south Pasco County expected to rise into Wednesday, according to the Times.
How it works: Part of what made the storm so wet was its positioning as it brushed by the region, Hurt said. The east side of the storm sucked up water from the record-warm Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and the west part of the storm dumped rain on the Gulf Coast.
- And rainy weather in the weeks leading up to Debby left the ground already saturated, Hurt said.
What's next: More showers expected this week and rising water levels in rivers and creeks will continue to make flooding a risk, Hurt added.