Wicked Hurricane Helene left behind a few scars in Southwest Florida Friday and brought back some unwanted memories from the deadly devastation two years ago.
While it may not make the list of the cruelest hurricanes to blast the region, like 1960's Donna, 2004's Charley, 2017's Irma and 2022's Ian, Helene still hit hard.
Tropical force winds and outer bands helped knock out power to 52,377 in Lee and Collier counties at its peak Friday, according tofindenergy.com. However, it was the storm surge and flooding that dealt the biggest blow to the two counties, reminiscent but not nearly as bad as Ian.
Here's what to know.
Fort Myers Beach, Florida cleaning up again after the latest hurricane
The flooding forced the Fort Myers Beach Fire District to shut down for awhile during the surge event, which left the first floor of numerous Beach structures with water. Early Friday, the Crescent Street area had looked like a swift-flowing creek that was about to turn into a small river. All roads near the north end of the island had been flooded, with construction debris and orange cone markers floating down the streets.
After the worst of it, Tracy Dammermann spent most of the morning scraping sand, rocks and debris from a Crescent driveway.
“There was 18 inches of water in the garage, and that’s high enough,” said Dammermann, who was staying with friends on the Beach and lived there during Hurricane Ian. "Compared to what we had with Ian, it’s not bad.”
One street over, Sheila Newman used a squeegee to get sand and water off her brick paver driveway.
“The water came up and it stayed up for quite a while because the wind was blowing,” she said. “It stayed high for hours, and that causes havoc.”
The streets of Fort Myers Beach were covered in a quarter-inch layer of sand as waters receded Friday. Estero Boulevard and North Estero Boulevard were littered with sand, rock, mulch and debris, and contractors were being brought in to work on part of that, according to Fort Myers Beach Emergency Management. At the same time, the Florida Department of Transportation had Big Carlos Pass Bridge closed Friday while making assessments and cleaning up.
Town staff members also were beginning cleanup Friday of Times Square, which had flooded, and were asking those who didn't require to be on the island not to visit until that labor is complete.
Water and silt made it into the new Town Hall and the Bay Oaks Recreation Center, which cancelled programs and remained closed Friday as the clean up continued, according to Beach officials.
Barrier Southwest Florida islands taking a beating from Hurricane Helene
On Pine Island, the future of a historic Capt’n Con’s Fish House was in doubt as it took on extensive water from Hurricane Helene.
Off Sanibel, the Causeway remained closed early Friday as contractors worked to remove debris from the roadway, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said.
Later, Sanibel city officials announced that island residents were only allowed to travel the Causeway off the island. Officials said only emergency personnel was permitted onto the island immediately following the storm.
City offices remained closed Friday because of “significant flooding on the island,” Sanibel spokesman Eric Jackson said. “Staff will be assessing and responding. It will take some time for water to recede and for crews to clean up debris from roadways."
Surge hits Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Florida as schools, colleges close
In downtown Fort Myers, streets flooded in the historic Dean Park neighborhood and some low-lying areas close to the Caloosahatchee River, which spilled over its banks during the surge event.
“A few homes along the river have taken (on) water,” Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said.
The heavy flooding had prompted Fort Myers Police to prevent traffic overnight from entering the Edison Bridge, which remained partially closed later Friday.
Authorities say westbound traffic on Palm Beach Boulevard was being diverted at Seaboard Street. First Street between Park and Seaboard remained closed.
During the surge, Cape Coral also had its challenges with, for example, Cape Coral Parkway becoming impassable between Cape Coral Bridge and Palm Tree Boulevard, according to city police.
Florida Gulf Coast University cancelled classes for the second day in a row but planned on returning to regular operations Saturday, as conditions allowed. Florida SouthWestern State College continued a second day of remote work, and Lee schools ended up closing as well after initially planning to open some campuses.
Southwest Florida International Airport said airlines were resuming flights Friday but to expect delays and cancellations.
Too much water from the surge for Bonita Springs and south Lee County
Off Island Park Road, Marceno said Friday morning that water had entered some homes, and that it was receding.
Water also had receded from the flooded Hickory Boulevard and Imperial Shores Boulevard areas around Bonita Beach. However, Marceno said early Friday the roads were still unsafe due to downed power lines and debris, with a new roadway assessment coming later in the day.
Flooding was present in the West Terry Street and Harbor Drive area of Bonita Springs Friday morning. Parts of Harbor and most side streets had roughly a foot of standing water and were impassable, the sheriff said.
In the Know:While not a direct hit this time, Hurricane Helene brings flooding to Southwest Florida
Police cope with challenges in Collier County, Florida after Helene
Four feet of sand Friday covered Gordon Drive, south the Port Royal Club, according to the Naples Police Department, which Thursday night had blocked westbound traffic from getting onto Fifth Avenue South, where the 800 block had been taking on some water.
Areas that remained impassable Friday included Sandpiper Street south of Blue Point Avenue and also south of Gulf Shore Boulevard South and Thirteenth Avenue South.
Police also were dealing with folks jumping off the Naples Pier into the dangerous, sloshy waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
“The problem with pier jumping is that there is a possibility or potential for injury with drowning or striking objects in the underwater," Chief Ciro M. Dominguez told the Naples Daily News. "High risk venture (pulls) police resources away from other duties. We need to be able to respond to medical calls, alarms, stranded cars ― people who need us. This reckless behavior is dangerous to selfand inadequately pulls us away from helping others.We will charge and arrest but prefer cooperation and a sense of conscientiousness.”
Students ignoring their homework did have more free time on their hands. Reversing an earlier decision, Collier County Public Schools ended up closing due to the uncertainty with flooding and power outages, which continued Friday morning with nearly 20,000 without electricity, according to the findenergy.com. Closed private facilities included The Village School of Naples and Marco Island Academy.
Weather:Close call for Southwest Florida with Hurricane Helene, but how close?
Workers at two Collier restaurant buildings decimated by Hurricane Ian had more cleanup work Friday, but it wasn't nearly as bad.
Water creeped into Flo's Clam Shack, which didn't lose power, and founder Komes Rozes said the goal was to reopen later Friday with some diligent effort. Ian had hammered the East Tamiami Trail structure that formerly held the BAMZ restaurant.
Similar endeavors were occurring at Real Macaw on Bayshore Drive, which had minimal water that receded, said owner Siobhan Cleveland. While it was closed Thursday, Cleveland was making sure everything was dry and cleaning minor debris before proceeding with plans.
USA TODAY Network team membersDave Osborn, Mark H. Bickel, Chad Gillis, Mickenzie Hannon, Laura Layden, Amy Bennett Williams,Kendall Little, Diana Biederman, Cindy McCurry-Ross, Stacey Henson and Wendy Fullerton Powellcontributed to this report. Based at the Naples Daily News,Columnist Phil Fernandez(pfernandez@gannett.com) grew up in Southwest Florida and has ledPulitzer Prize-winning efforts. Support democracy.Subscribe to a newspaper.
This story was updated to add a video.