At first Longboat and Sarasota were nervous with Tropical Storm Debby approaching. But soon, a small amount of relief washed over our region when it appeared that it was going to make landfall to the north, leaving us mostly spared. Those hopes faded when more than 12 inches of rain from the Tropical Depression drenched not only coastal neighborhoods but surprisingly inland subdivisions as well.
According to the National Weather Service more than 12 inches of rain fell from Tropical Depression Debby during it’s passage by Sarasota last weekend into Monday afternoon.
Before becoming a hurricane and making landfall, Tropical Storm Debby whirled past Longboat Key’s coast, bringing with it heavy winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge.
The storm became a Category 1 hurricane and made landfall in Steinhatchee of Florida’s Big Bend region early Monday morning. Throughout the day on Monday, rain continued to fall in our region.
Many of Longboat’s low-lying areas in the north end Village and mid-Key were among the most impacted by rainfall and storm surge.
Around 3 p.m., a notice from the town indicated that Gulf of Mexico Drive was passable again and that some side streets along the island we