How Matlacha is preparing for possible severe weather

No one is taking any chances with Tuesday’s possible severe weather.

In Matlacha, crews worked on nearby drains along Pine Island Road. Lee County crews cleaned out storm drains on Monday to prepare for flooded roads.

“Anything to keep the water level down is a blessing for sure. That has risen up before the last storm that we had here,” said Amber Brady, Miceli’s restaurant owner.

The last storm, Idalia, hit during high tide and brought flooding to Brady’s waterfront restaurant in Matlacha.

“There was water all the way up the way almost to the doors up there, but there was fish actually all through here,” Brady said.

To prep for the storm and the chance their outdoor seating turns into an aquarium, they’re taking anything that can move inside.

Larry Frazier from D&D Bait and Tackle in Matlacha is also preparing for the storm.

“We’re gonna take in garbage cans and take a couple chairs from the back. Make sure nothing blows away,” Frazier said.

D&D Bait and Tackle lost those things, plus a pump for the fish during Idalia. That storm and Ian taught them the lesson that you can never be too cautious during storm prep.

“The mud was cleaned up to the top of our counters. It took 15 weeks to get the mud and the gum out of here and get it [to] get back open again, and so we don’t want to do that again,” Frazier said.

WINK asked the city about their drain cleanup plans, and they said they clean their drains regularly, so no additional plans before Tuesday.