This story was updated to add new information.
For Southwest Floridians – especially islanders – the bulletins have an all-too familiar ring as the second anniversary of Hurricane Ian nears:
- “Sanibel Residents and Businesses Encouraged to Monitor Weather Conditions in the Tropics;”
- “Town of Fort Myers Beach Emergency Management continues to monitor the Tropical System formed in the Northwestern Caribbean;”
- “Lee County Emergency Management urges residents to take action to prepare as tropical activity increases”
- “The City of Bonita Springs is Monitoring Tropical Activity”
- And from Governor Ron DeSantis, a state of emergency declaration: Executive Order 24-208 (Emergency Management – Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine
You could almost hear a collective ‘Here we go again’ shudder as the region learned the National Hurricane Center is watching a Gulf of Mexico situation that might become a tropical storm named Helene by mid-week.
Battle-tested Sanibel Island isn’t quite in the hunkering stage yet, but is definitely keeping an eye on things. “Normal preparations for the City right now, and we’re reminding residents and businesses to do the same,” Sanibel spokesman Eric Jackson wrote in an email.