As Hurricane Melissa intensified into a Category 5 storm Monday, Oct. 27, and threatened to unleash its fury across the Caribbean through Tuesday and Wednesday — particularly over Jamaica, Cuba, and the southeastern Bahamas — Sarasota and Manatee County residents couldn’t help but recall the devastation hurricanes Helene and Milton brought just over a year ago.

Here’s hoping the island nations in Melissa’s path weather the storm as safely as possible — and that recovery comes swiftly. A year later, here in Sarasota, coastal communities such as Siesta Key, St. Armands Key, Anna Maria Island, and Cortez are still slowly coming back to life .

Hurricane Melissa is forecast to have devastating impacts on islands in the northern Caribbean with even stronger winds in elevated areas and u

See Full Page