What records did Hurricane Debby break in Manatee County? It wasn’t just rainfall
Hurricane Debby’s deluge broke more than one record in Manatee County, according to the National Weather Service.
On Sunday, the rain gauge at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport broke the record for the highest daily rainfall ever measured at 11.06 inches. The previous record was 10.80 inches on June 23, 1945, the NWS said.
On Monday night, the Manatee River followed with a record of its own when it rose to its highest crest, or water level, ever measured in East Manatee County.
The gauge that measures the river’s height at Rye Bridge in East Manatee County recorded a crest of 20.12 feet around 9:15 p.m. Monday. That breaks the record for the highest river level recorded.
The all-time record was a 20-foot crest in 1962, before the construction of the Lake Manatee Dam. The dam was built in the mid-60s, according to the Florida Parks Service.
The highest river crest recorded since the dam was built was 19.71 feet in 2003.
At over 11 feet, the river begins to flood and can reach the foundations of homes, according to the NWS. By 17 feet, water can reach the foundations of elevated homes and the Christian Retreat Center in East Manatee County.
Flood warnings are in effect for the Manatee River near the Rye Bridge until late Thursday afternoon and near Myakka Head until late Thursday evening.
Water levels in Lake Manatee also surged during the storm, prompting county officials to start an emergency release of water on Monday to prevent damage to the Lake Manatee Dam.
Manatee County storm surge, rainfall, wind numbers
Thankfully, Hurricane Debby’s storm surge did not set any records in Southwest Florida.
Preliminary numbers showed an average of 2 to 3 feet of surge from Southwest Florida up to Tampa Bay, according to meteorologist Tony Hurt at NWS’s Tampa Bay office in Ruskin.
Hurt said meteorologists are still gathering data from the storm that will reveal more insights about its impact.
Here are the NWS’s latest preliminary total rainfall numbers for the entire storm event in Manatee County:
- Lakewood Ranch: 17.64 inches
- Parrish: 14.66 inches
- Ellenton: 12.17 inches
- Bradenton: 11.88
- Samoset: 11.32 inches
Preliminary maximum wind gust numbers show the highest winds in Manatee County were recorded in Palmetto:
- Palmetto: 70 mph
- Anna Maria Island: 64 mph
- Whitfield: 64 mph
- Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport: 63 mph
This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 2:00 PM.