Midnight Pass, a naturally formed inlet separating Siesta and Casey Keys, was filled in in the 1980s by Siesta Key beachfront residents to protect their homes from destruction due to erosion. Critics say closing the pass has degraded the water quality of Sarasota Bay and have fought, unsuccessfully, to reopen it.

Sarasota and Manatee County residents are still discovering the scope of damage caused by Hurricane Helene, especially on the barrier islands, where officials were still clearing roads, restoring utilities and checking for any public safety issues before gradually allowing residents to return.