Here’s Why Hurricane Milton Is Sucking Water Out of Tampa Bay
by https://www.nytimes.com/by/elena-shao · NY TimesHere’s Why Hurricane Milton Is Sucking Water Out of Tampa Bay
The effect is called a reverse storm surge, but it won’t last, and the water could come rushing back.
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By Elena Shao
Even as some parts of Florida’s western coast were enduring a surge of seawater on Wednesday night, Hurricane Milton’s heavy winds were pushing water out of Tampa Bay.
A flood gauge near Tampa showed the water levels fluctuating as Milton approached and then plummeting while the storm’s eye passed to the south — dropping three feet below the level expected on a normal day.
The phenomenon, reminiscent of what occurred during Hurricanes Ian in 2022 and Irma in 2017, will probably last only a few hours — and could suddenly reverse, with damaging results.
The outward flow is sometimes referred to as a reverse, or negative, storm surge. A storm surge occurs when high-speed winds push ocean water onshore, but in this case the winds are draining the bay instead of flooding it.
A hurricane’s winds blow counterclockwise, and with Milton passing south of Tampa Bay, winds to the north of the storm are blowing in from the east, pushing water away from the shoreline.
The unusual sight can draw curious onlookers, but officials say that it’s dangerous to wander out along shores with receding tides. The water will eventually return and could rise quickly in a matter of minutes.
More on Hurricane Milton
- Florida on High Alert: Hurricane Milton threatened nearly the entire state as it blew in from the Gulf of Mexico, yet another case of a menacing storm putting many of Florida’s 23 million residents in danger.
- Some Inmates Will Not Evacuate: Manatee County, just south of Tampa, has ordered residents in three evacuation zones to get out. But the inmates and staff of the county jail will stay put.
- Can Electric Vehicles Catch Fire in Hurricanes?: E.V. batteries that are submerged in saltwater can catch fire after the floods subside, but experts say it’s a rarity.
- FEMA’s Severe Staffing Shortage: Fewer than 10% of the agency’s disaster workers are available to respond to Hurricane Milton and other calamities.