Hurricane Michael causes closures, cancellations and flooding

Sarasota won’t be dealing with the worst of Hurricane Michael, but the storm is still bringing inclement conditions to the area.

The most significant effects thus far have been seen on Lido Key. The county closed Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach today because of flooding. The city, meanwhile, announced that a line of sandbags along Lido Beach had been washed away by waves overnight.

City officials said the bags, located near the Lido pavilion, were largely effective in protecting the dunes along the beach. The city intends to explore options for refilling and replacing the lost bags and sand. The city previously spent $30,000 on two tiers of sandbags on Lido Key as a shoreline protection measure. Officials estimate about $17,000 of that sand was in the area affected by rising waters.

Sarasota County Schools canceled after-school activities for today because of the possibility of inclement weather in the afternoon. Elementary after-care will continue as usual, the school district said. The district also canceled a digital town hall event scheduled for tonight. 

Strong surf was reported on Longboat Key, along with some localized tidal street flooding. 

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.