The center of Matthew tracked roughly offshore of Volusia, subjecting the entire county to 12 hours of sustained tropical storm-force winds. Areas along the immediate coastline likely experienced sustained hurricane-force winds based on post-storm surveys by the National Weather Service. Gusts up to were recorded at Embry–Riddle University in Daytona Beach, the highest observed value in the county. A gust of was also observed in New Smyrna Beach. These strong winds caused widespread damage, primarily from fallen trees, and more than 12,000 homes were directly affected. Structural damage directly from wind was largely confined to areas along the immediate coast and barrier islands, with older structures suffering far greater damage. A total of 69 homes were destroyed, 467 suffered major damage, and 1,494 experienced minor damage. The damaging winds also wreaked havoc on the power grid, leaving 258,000 customers—92 percent of the county—without electricity at the height of the storm. One woman was struck and killed by a tree in DeLand while feeding animals outside her home. Water rise and breaking waves eroded much of the protective barrier along Highway A1A in Ormond-by-the-Sea, leading to significant damage to the road itself. Onshore flow and wave-piling led to water rises of along the Halifax River and along the Mosquito Lagoon. The entire coastline of Volusia County suffered severe erosion, particularly in northern areas. Damage across Volusia County reached $514.4 million.
