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Here’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.
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.