"The wind speeds move counterclockwise around these storms if it moved and it landfall north of Tampa Bay the Southwest winds would funnel all that water into Tampa Bay it would turn Pinellas County into about two islands, and the water would get trapped there for days," LaMarre said. Dad was out probably to his waist in the water pulling the boat by rope and had loaded in mom, and this two-month-old baby wrapped up in a quilt trying to protect him from the rain," Chasey said." "But I don't know.". Everything underwater, massive flooding," Dr. Luther said. The popular refrain in you hear in Tampa Bay is that the area has not been directly hit by a major hurricane in over 100 years. A storm surge of up to 11 feet damaged and destroyed many structures along coastal locations from Pasco County south through southwest Florida. There is no found scientific reason hurricanes seem to avoid the area. Only a couple hundred-thousand people lived in the area. Here are some major hurricanes the past 60 years that have just avoided us: In 2004 alone, there were FOUR hurricanes set to hit the area. Hurricane Ian was growing stronger as it barreled toward Cuba on a track to hit Florida's west coast as a major hurricane as early as Wednesday. But, the note was clear, "my family would be drowned. Breathing issues are possible at some beaches. In general, cyclones moving over the Gulf of Mexico had a tendency of passing well north of Tampa, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration said in report on the 1921 storm. told the Washington Post in 2017 following Hurricane Irma. The storm surge from that hurricane, estimated at Category 3 with winds of up to 129 mph ( 207 km/h) was pegged at 11 feet (3.3 meters). In the Tampa Bay Area, only 2 of the above catastrophic hurricanes impacted the area - Charley and Irma. In a St. Petersburg Times article printed on October 27, 1921, the headline read "Tragic Death Attends Gale.". "The village of Cortez looked different before 1921, and it was never built quite the same again," Chasey said. The gap in knowledge is likely part of what keeps the myth in circulation, said Uzi Baram, associate professor of anthropology at New College in Sarasota. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Technically, Irma did make a direct hit on part of Tampa in 2017, though it was a bit of a glancing blow from a weakened hurricane. Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. This is no joke. "Given all the development across Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, the Tampa Bay area, the devastation would be catastrophic. Have the app? The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Eight people were killed when the storm hit the seaside town with 120 mph. "Cape Hatteras is very close to the Gulf Stream, which enables hurricanes to strengthen due to warmer ocean temperatures during the summer," Samuhel explained. A Pinellas resident for 45 years, she was waiting for Irma to make a turn like Hurricane Charley did in 2004. Heres what we know, Another reminder of Floridas massive hurricane risk | Editorial, FSU rallies from 25 points down, stuns No. As hurricanes move inland, they can no longer feed off of the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean, and so they lose strength. This is vividly illustrated below in category 5 Hurricane Andrew, in which the most intense winds were confined to the eyewall near Homestead, Kendall and Coral Gables, a fair distance south of Miami and very far south of Ft Lauderdale. This map shows hurricanes that have passed with 100 miles of St. Petersburg, Florida since 1960. So storms that emerge out of the Caribbean into the Gulf will often feel this westerly flow and be turned eastward, Storm Team 8s Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli explained. Can we build even stronger buildings, and should we? Phil Klotzbach, research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, noted that only one of five hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher has struck Tampa Bay since 1851. In fact, our coastal location, topography, and large population make us significantly vulnerable to a wide array of hazards, including hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and sinkholes. There are urban legends that the Sunshine Skyway protects Tampa Bay. For Florida, the challenge is so massive as to seem intractable. A number of other explanations for the relative safety have surfaced, most of them questionable. Even if the hurricane makes . "Tampa Bay is very surge-prone because of its orientation." The National Hurricane Center is predicting storm surge in Tampa Bay and surrounding waters of between 5 and 10 feet (1.5 and 3. Waves from the Bay almost reached the streets of Ybor City. Now, the tourist-friendly region known for its sugar-sand beaches has grown by leaps and bounds, with homes and businesses along the water the ideal locations most of the time. Also lurking in the waves and wind are the impacts of climate change and the higher sea levels scientists say it is causing. The city hasnt suffered a direct hit by a strong hurricane since the 1921 Tampa Bay Hurricane, the first major hurricane to hit the city, but 68 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 60 miles of the city according to Hurricane City. About 40% of it goes into the facilities at Port Tampa Bay.". This westerly flow steers systems from west to east. By the time it reached Hardee, Desoto and Polk County the storm was a category 1 hurricane. But many still believe the blessing protects us. Central Florida. ", Kottlowski said a direct hitoccurs when a hurricane "passes to within a distance equal to the cyclone's radius of maximum wind," which for Hurricane Irma at that stage was 23 miles. According to Berardelli, hurricanes would have to make the perfect turn to the east in order to make landfall in Tampa Bay, therefore making a direct hit on the region would be somewhat difficult. No one spared the storm's wrath from Tampa to Tarpon Springs to Oldsmar to the Village of Cortez. The 20 U.S. cities most in danger of getting smacked by a major hurricane in the next decades are all in Florida. A new study suggests that climate change is making back-to-back hurricanes more common, which could make it tougher for coastal communities to recover. Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or The Gulf of Mexico is a warm body of water that is a breeding ground for hurricanes. "Folk tales give us comfort, so we use something we can't disprove," Baram said. With reverse storm surge, especially in larger storms like Ian, the opposite happens, explained Pastelok. The most prominent story has to do with American Indians. Thats because the worst of the winds and surge in a hurricane are often confined to a very small radius around the center of the storm. As the Gulf Coast just south of Tampa Bay recovers from the devastation left from Hurricane Ian, many Tampa Bay residents are breathing an uneasy sigh of relief. And areas just miles away from the storm like Sarasota, St. Pete and Tampa did not even experience hurricane force gusts. On October 25, 1921, the Tampa Bay Area suffered the most destructive hurricane to hit the area since the 1800s. However, legend has passed down from Tampa resident to Tampa resident whatever the mounds were for, they somehow offer protection from hurricanes. Storm surge maps are constantly updated. The highest storm surge was in the downtown Tampa and Tarpon Springs areas. Jeannot will be a restricted free agent this summer and . "On the Port Resiliency Index, developed by the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, the Port scored 95%.". TAMPA, Fla. With so many near-misses over the decades, it had become common to believe Florida's Tampa Bay region was somehow protected from hurricanes. During our research, we came across a heartbreaking story of survival, death, and devastating destruction. However, only a few have survived the development the area has undergone in modern times. The last direct strike was in 1921. "I don't think we're in a blessed or protected place," Fox said while shopping at Home Depot. And affordable property insurance could be added to the endangered species list. In the case of Charley Desoto, Hardee and Polk counties all experienced winds gusts well over 100 mph, causing catastrophic damage. It may sound hard to believe, but Florida has only seen 4 landfalling category 4 or greater storms in the past 50 years. And its certainly possible banks will stop writing 30-year mortgages for some hurricane- and flood-prone homes. Getting into the specifics would require more space than this editorial allows, but Hurricane Ian last year provided some solid examples of how stronger building codes and better planning can help protect homes and other buildings from wind and floods. More than 40% of St. Petersburg is in the coastal high-hazard area. A view of the site of a 23-foot mound at Sacred Lands in St. Petersburg's Jungle Prada neighborhood. Or, the ancient American Indian burial grounds scattered throughout the county are keeping the storms at bay. How much should we rebuild on barrier islands? He made these remarks during a sit down interview recently at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando with News Channel 8 Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist Jeff Berardelli. Tampa Skyline (Flickr Photo/Sonny Side Up!). Every room will have a view of the water. The article describing in terrifying detail how a husband lost his wife on Rocky Point: On the other side of the bay in Oldsmar, similar stories of survival. The explorers visited the Calusa tribe just south in Charlotte Harbor, and the Tocobaga just north in Tampa Bay, but they passed over the stretch of relatively linear coast in between. "That's a lot of rain. ", Joel, however, is less skeptical. Key West with maximum elevation of 18 feet above sea level makes it susceptible to heavy flooding and storm surge during a hurricane event. So, for everyone watching this report or reading this article, whether you believe in jinxes, superstitions, curses or the supernatural, do us a favor and knock on some wood for good luck. As sea level rises, the same storm surge will be able to flood more areas because the baseline upon which its happening is higher, McNoldy said. The story goes something like this, with the emphasis on "something.". 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