Keys Fully Open to Visitors After Being Brushed By Rafael

Tourism infrastructure is intact throughout the 125-mile-long Florida Keys island chain after Hurricane Rafael’s far outer bands brushed the Keys with tropical storm-force wind gusts but no significant impacts.  

The National Hurricane Center early Thursday cancelled a tropical storm warning for the Florida Keys from the Channel 5 Bridge through Key West including Layton, Marathon, Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys, and the Dry Tortugas.

The Florida Keys Overseas Highway, including all 42 bridges, is fully open.

Key West and Florida Keys Marathon International airports are open and unaffected.

No emergency protective actions, including visitor or resident evacuations, were taken by Monroe County Emergency Management officials. Florida Keys utilities are operating normally.

Throughout the Keys, almost all accommodations, attractions, museums, restaurants and other businesses of interest to visitors remained open as the storm passed. Charter fishing and dive boats are resuming operations.

Some Florida state parks that closed in the Middle and Lower Keys have reopened.

With Wednesday’s first race canceled because of the weather, organizers at the Race World Offshore Key West World Championship are staged races Friday and Sunday.