Headline Surfer multimedia / Video:Wrap up of Tropical Storm Isaias, which includes pics, highlights of a county government update and a couple of social media memes. Pic above: Surfers were back at the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona on Monday as if there was no major storm. As it turned out, Isaias was an almost non-factor. Below, a screenshot image from the online Volusia County New Smyrna Beach cam off of the Flagler Avenue ramp shows some beach goers soaking in the sun Monday afternoon with the storm long gone.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH -- Tropical Storm Isaias passed the Central Florida coast just after dawn on this Monday on its continuing push trek northward, leaving virtually little, if any adverse impact on Volusia County's nearly' 45-mile Atlantic shoreline
There were no reports of any major damage or even a single utility customer left in the dark.
Sustained winds overnight never got strong enough to even necessitate bridge closings. Before noon today, some of the county’s beach ramps had already started to reopen to vehicles.
The news had officials breathing a collective sigh of relief, saying all of the planning and response efforts were a good way to keep the community on its toes for the remainder of the hurricane season which ends in November.
“Isaias, what we’ve always known, confirmed it: Hurricanes are unpredictable,” Volusia County Chair Ed Kelley said stoically during a mid-morning post-storm news conference at the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center in Daytyona Beach.
“Isaias, what we’ve always known, confirmed it: Hurricanes are unpredictable,” Volusia County Chair Ed Kelley said stoically during a mid-morning post-storm news conference at the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center in Daytyona Beach.
County officials who were closely monitoring the path and intensity of the storm received the all clear shortly after 5 a.m. that all of the remaining tropical warnings over land had been discontinued for East Central Florida - basically from Titusville in Brevard County to the south and St. Augustine to the north.
"Damage assessments began at first light," country spokesman Gary Davidson told Headliner Surfer in an email media update alert. "As the storm’s intensity dissipated, however, the potential for beach erosion remained a concern. But the erosion was extremely minimal."
Only one dune walkover at Sheepshead Avenue in New Smyrna Beach was closed for repair. One restroom on the beach was out of order and a gate at a vehicle access ramp on the beach sustained minor damage, Davidson said.
Meanwhile, tollbooths that were removed for protection from the passing storm and rough seas were being put back in place at ramps to prepare for the resumption of vehicle traffic onto the beach.
Before vehicles can be allowed back onto the sand en full force, Volusia County Environmental Management staff must complete an assessment of the more than 700 turtle nests and the posts marking the nests and remark nests, if necessary. The process is continuing and sections of the beach have already been cleared and reopened to vehicles.
Real-time updates on the status of vehicle access ramps are provided through the Volusia Beaches app.
At this morning's news conference, Volusia County Emergency Management Director Jim Judge noted that the coordination at all levels with local and state partners and the community went very smoothly.
“We’ve got a great community," Judge said, adding, "We’ve got great partnerships (with) everybody pulling together in a disaster."
County Chair Kelley also noted that the response showed that the county has a sound plan for dealing with a major storm during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is showing no signs of slowing down from record-breaking daily infections and death.
Related Coverage:
Tropical Storm Isaias has the Carolinas in sight
Previous-Related Coverage:
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.