Strange event caused by Hurricane Milton in Tampa, Florida

Arab Weather - In the days before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, observers were concerned that the hurricane would cause the water level to rise to 15 feet on the densely populated coasts of Tampa Bay. But what happened was unexpected; the water level in the city of Tampa temporarily dropped several feet during the hurricane's swoop.

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Scientific explanation of the phenomenon

The scientific explanation for this decrease is known as “storm surge,” a familiar but often unnoticed phenomenon that occurs during hurricanes. Storm surge is caused by the movement of seawater under the influence of hurricane winds as storms make landfall. In the Northern Hemisphere, tropical storm winds blow counterclockwise. When a hurricane makes landfall, the winds push water toward the shore at one end of the “eye of the storm,” while pulling it away from the shore at the other end.

Hurricane Milton's Eye Effect

The most noticeable water movement occurs beneath the strong winds of the eyewall, said Brian McNoldy, a tropical storm researcher at the University of Miami. Tampa Bay had been forecast to experience significant flooding, but accurately predicting where and when a hurricane will hit is always a challenge, as high tides can amplify the impact of the water surge.

However, where a hurricane makes landfall greatly affects the location of peak water flow or backwash.

Hurricane Milton's Landing Location

The center of Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday evening on Siesta Key, near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Tampa. As a result, strong offshore winds pushed water away from Tampa, causing a sudden drop of about 5 feet in the water level there. In contrast, water south of Siesta Key rose about 10 feet, according to preliminary data from the National Hurricane Center.

This phenomenon is not new, as the region saw similar effects during Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Ian in 2022, when people went out to see the exposed seabed. But McNoldy warned against this behavior, saying:

“This is very dangerous, because the water will come back.”

Indeed, water levels were back to normal in Tampa on Thursday morning.

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