Red tide and rain from Gordon keep crowds away from Manatee beaches on Labor Day
It didn’t look like a typical Labor Day on Anna Maria Island with Tropical Storm Gordon-related rain and red tide conditions keeping most beach-goers away on Monday.
With the development of Tropical Storm Gordon over the upper middle Florida Keys on Monday, the increased moisture in the atmosphere made for a wet Labor Day in Manatee County. Even though Anna Maria saw improved red tide this past week, those conditions combined with the wet weather kept beachgoers away, a departure from the crowds seen earlier in the weekend and on past holidays.
Partly cloudy skies quickly turned to completely overcast and stormy conditions early Monday afternoon with an 80 percent chance of rain forecast for Manatee County Monday night and 70 percent chance of rain on Tuesday.
As of 2 p.m., the National Hurricane Center had not issued any warnings or watches for Manatee County or the Tampa Bay area. The storm was about 15 miles west-southwest of Marco Island with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour and minimum central pressure of 1007 MB.
Gordon is moving quickly, moving west-northwest at 16 miles per hour.
“We are not being impacted by the core of Gordon, but the moisture being slung up by it, we are,” Bay News 9 meteorologist Mike Clay said. “It’s going to be really wet tonight and tomorrow.”
Boating conditions were poor as a result of Gordon churning to the south. According to Clay, a tropical storm warning was in effect for off-shore waters, about 30 to 60 miles off the coast, as a result.
Public boat ramps were nearly empty as a result on Monday.
There was also plenty of parking to be found at Manatee Public Beach late Monday morning, but some people did come out to enjoy the beach before heavier storms rolled in.
Kelly Carrier, 46, was enjoying reading a book while she waited for her parents to join her for lunch. An empty-nester, with her husband away on a hunting trip, she decided to make the trip from Michigan to visit her parents and the beach.
“It actually looks a little greener today,” Carrier said.
Carrier had done some research on the red tide and local conditions before making the trip but wasn’t concerned. Nor did she experience any respiratory irritation each day on the beach. Lightning was what kicked her off the beach on Sunday, she said.
A few dozen others didn’t seem to be bothered by the presence of red tide in the water. An off-shore breeze was keeping surf conditions calm, despite Gordon churning to the south.
As of 3:01 p.m. Monday, the MOTE beach conditions report for Coquina Beach showed moderate water color, some red drift in the water, some slight respiratory irritation but no dead fish. As of 10:15 a.m. on Manatee Public Beach, the report showed dark water conditions and some dead fish but no red drift or respiratory irritation.
But it was the threat of Tropical Storm Gordon that forced the cancellation of the Labor Day fireworks show planned for Monday evening outside the Chiles-owned Sandbar restaurant in Anna Maria.
While Gordon may had strengthened sooner than forecasters anticipated, Clay said the storm path’s was very clear. “This one is going to fly past the coast,” he said. “The only question is how intense.”
As Gordon pulls away from southwest Florida and heads towards the gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, conditions will improve and return to the typical summer pattern with afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast for the remainder of the week.
Gordon should serve as reminder of the importance for locals to remain vigilant during hurricane season, Clay said.
This story was originally published September 3, 2018 at 4:20 PM.