See the impact of Hurricane Debby around Longboat Key

Although it didn't experience a direct hit from the storm, Longboat Key still saw flooding, rainfall and heavy winds.

By Carter Weinhofer
| 8:30 a.m. August 6, 2024

A sign in the north-end Village warns drivers of high water after Hurricane Debby passed Longboat Key.

Longboat Key
News

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 on the already-flooded Longboat roads.

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 were flooded, but still passable.

Surrounding areas in Sarasota and Manatee counties also saw similar impacts with flooded roads and debris from high winds.

To share your photos or videos, email Longboat Key News Reporter Carter Weinhofer at [email protected] with your name as well as where and when the photo was taken.

A fallen tree near the Broadway Street public beach access.

The parking lot of the Broadway Street public beach access point was underwater.

Water made the road nearly impossible around the 4700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Water still on many of the north-end side streets of Longboat Key after Hurricane Debby.

At the Broadway Street public beach access, water was almost knee deep.

author

Carter Weinhofer

Carter Weinhofer is the Longboat Key news reporter for the Observer. Originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, he moved to St. Petersburg to attend Eckerd College until graduating in 2023. During his entire undergraduate career, he worked at the student newspaper, The Current, holding positions from science reporter to editor-in-chief.