Tropical Storm Emily dimmed the break of dawn July 31, bringing heavy rain but little wind to Anna Maria Island.
The storm formed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida and was flooding island streets by the time many islanders awoke to a Monday morning.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said TS Emily’s maximum-sustained winds increased to near 45 mph by the morning of July 31, but the storm was expected to weaken to a tropical depression as it moved inland. It was forecast to make landfall on the coast at about 2 p.m.
As The Islander prepared to go to press mid-day July 31, the storm’s center remained in the Gulf and a tropical storm warning was in effect for the Gulf coast, from Anclote River to Bonita Beach and included all of Manatee County.
Manatee’s emergency operations center issued a statement early July 31 that no evacuation would be needed and no shelters would be opened. The EOC advisory urged people not to drive through flooded roadways — and there were many sections of roads on the island holding water.
About 4-6 inches of rain was forecast for the area.
The storm was expected to cross the state, moving from west to east, by early Aug. 1.