MANATEE COUNTY, FL (September 23, 2024) – Manatee County is bracing for another potentially heavy rain event this week. Meteorologists are monitoring Invest 97L (which would be named Helene) for possible developments and impacts along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Manatee County staff have completed maintenance on Lake Manatee Dam. All three mechanical gates are operational and the earthen gates have been reset to pre-Debby levels. Crews continue to maintain lake levels just below our wet season target of 38 feet (37.7 feet as of 8:00 a.m. September 23, 2024). Staff continues to monitor water levels and will make decisions about further lowering water levels based on NOAA forecasts in advance of the potential storm later this week.

Residents are encouraged to take all necessary precautions now to protect their property from potential flooding. The sandbag sites open so far will be supplemented by additional sites in at-risk areas. Open sites can be found at mymanatee.org/sandbags.

Follow Manatee County’s official storm information at mymanatee.org/storm. Residents and visitors should monitor local news and the county’s social media accounts for updates. Registering with Alert Manatee is another way to ensure you receive severe weather updates.