In Pinellas County, home to nearly 1 million people and bordered almost entirely by water, 1 in 5 built properties is at risk of flooding from Category 1 hurricanes. The NWS describes the hurricane as "the forgotten nightmare." "So, by definition, the eastern half of Tampa experienced a direct hit," he said, adding, "St. Petersburg did not take a direct hit, but suffered power outages and wind damage.". Since it seems to be working, many people still believe in the legend. According to Tampa Historical, an interactive web exhibit created and maintained by students and faculty at the University of South Florida; the storm was dubbed the "Granddaddy" of all hurricanes: Fort Brooke was a small military outpost located in the heart of where modern-day downtown Tampa now sits. Tampa has been undergoing major infrastructure upgrades to protect the vulnerable city from flooding, but as Hurricane Ian barrels toward Florida's west coast, the project is still years from. The Predators will receive: Jeannot, 25, comes to Tampa Bay as he finishes up a two-year contract that carries an $800K average annual value. Tampa Bay is very surge-prone because of its orientation.. The third strike against the myth: If the American Indians did believe Sarasota was protected, more of them might have lived here. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Cape Hatteras has a 15 percent chance of feeling the impacts of a hurricane in any given year. Many of these people live in low-lying neighborhoods that are highly susceptible to storm surge and flooding they have rarely before experienced, which some experts say could be worsened by the effects of climate change. Will we allow for more density in coastal high-hazard areas? 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. After all, they are called barriers for a reason. 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. "Thank goodness for the Tocobagans is all I have to say.". Amid all the science, a local legend has it that blessings from Native Americans who once called the region home have largely protected it from major storms for centuries. As the Tampa Bay Times explains, it's likely that Ian will bring up to a foot of rain in the area and some experts, including meteorologist Jeff Masters, have compared it to 2005's Hurricane Katrina. The tribe began dying off due to war and disease brought by a Spanish explorer and his men in the 16th century. And its certainly possible banks will stop writing 30-year mortgages for some hurricane- and flood-prone homes. 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. Doris Anderson isn't necessarily one of them. Known as the Southernmost City in the Continental United States, Key West is directly impacted by a hurricane every 6.04 years, according to Hurricane City. "If and when Tampa is hit by a hurricane from the southwest, it wont take much of a hurricane to cause severe and catastrophic damage due to storm surge. Paluska asked. Andrews total damage cost was $26.5 billion as communities in the surrounding areas were severely affected due to its intense winds and high storm surge. On October 25, 1921, the Tampa Bay Area suffered the most destructive hurricane to hit the area since the 1800s. 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. On Sundays, the park opens for public tours. "Or would they let a hurricane hit to get even with the Spanish and the white settlers that moved down from the north and took their land? Hurricane Katrina (2005) is a prime example of the damage and devastation that can be caused by surge. In the case of Charley Desoto, Hardee and Polk counties all experienced winds gusts well over 100 mph, causing catastrophic damage. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Despite being in an evacuation zone, the family went into Hurricane Irma planning to stay at their home, though their Plan B was to flee to their son's house a mile away. Tampa Bay has had many close calls since 1921. "The probabilities are based upon 126 years of hurricane data and storm paths dating back to the 1800s," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said. Want next-level safety, ad-free? attacks, and spam will not be tolerated. Its unclear why the mounds were built, although many believe they were for burials. Nevertheless, with more than 50 percent of the city living below sea level and the rapid sinking of marshy coastal land in southeastern Louisiana, New Orleans still remains highly vulnerable to storm surge during a major hurricane. "Key West has faced several situations in the past where it has been brushed or directly affected by some of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States. The Gulf of Mexico is a warm body of water that is a breeding ground for hurricanes. The most recent near-miss occurred in August 2021 when Tropical Storm Fred came within 195 miles of Tampa. The area has seen a fair share of damaging winds and storm surge flooding from plenty of tropical storms. We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Calusa Protective Spell-Tampa. "We've got the high areas in our country we'd be moving people and our assets and staging things in advance. Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer. And it could be bad. Many of the other cities in the region have experienced similar explosive growth. It was so strong that it caused damage to coastal structures which were miles away from Pasco County south through southwest Florida and even destroyed ships smashing them against docks after pulling them off their moorings. The storm caused at least eight fatalities and mass destruction to the area. Storm Team 8s Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli explained. Kottlowski cautions that the Tampa Bay area is "long overdue for a landfall," but he attributes the region's location and the history of tracks that storms take as the reason the area has escaped the worst throughout the years. This map shows hurricanes that have passed with 100 miles of St. Petersburg, Florida since 1960. The storm surge pushed a wall of water inland, with waves from the bay almost breaking in the streets of Ybor City. "If there was a catastrophe, with that flooding of 10 to 12 feet, what would the environmental impact be with all those chemicals? It may sound hard to believe, but Florida has only seen 4 landfalling category 4 or greater storms in the past 50 years. The last direct strike was in 1921. But it wasn't a catastrophic hit, and thus belief in something otherworldy protecting the area from a hurricane's worst wrath persists. Breathing issues are possible at some beaches. The petroleum facilities would be out of business for days at a time. Local legend has it that mounds built by the Tocobaga tribe hundreds of years ago, protected the area from major storms for centuries. As time goes on, it comes true.. Like Tampa, The Big Easy has an 11 percent chance of experiencing the impact of a hurricane in an average year. Elev8 Fun is a family-friendly entertainment concept that is coming to How To Save Money While Preparing for Hurricane Season, Prepare for Hurricane Season: Learn New Hillsborough Evacuation Zones, Ready Pinellas Emergency Planning App Updated for 2022 Hurricane Season, Expect a Competitive Shopping Season, Despite Few Available Homes, Gasparilla International Film Festival Draws Hundreds of Submissions, City Taking Next Steps in Expanding Tampa Riverwalk, New Research Measures the Quality of Work and Life in the Tampa Bay region, Ranked: The Worlds Most and Least Powerful Passports in 2023. So we are very fortunate we have not been hit by a major hurricane in close to a hundred years.". As a hurricane's winds diminish, so does its ability to cause damage. The adjacent Gulf of Mexico is also shallow. Lisa Parker draws a blank when asked where she heard it, but she knows she did. While many people who have lived in Florida for a while believe they have experienced a truly catastrophic hurricane, few have. When Hurricane Isabel struck the region in 2003, the Army Corp of Engineers was forced to fill up an inlet that was created when the storm split Hatteras Island between Frisco and Hatteras, North Carolina. 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. HURRICANE IRMA: Find all of our coverage here. "I do believe in the power of God.". Whether Sarasota residents actually believe the American Indian myth depends on whom you ask. "So there could be some scenarios where we do see, at least during the times of the highest storm surge, that there is a separation between the two areas of the county," Director of the Pinellas County EOC Cathie Perkins said. The Tampa Bay area hasn't suffered a direct hit from a hurricane since 1929. Paluska and ABC Action News photographer Reed Moeller worked on this report for several weeks. Hurricane Ian could threaten all of that development. On certain days, the park opens for public tours. Using a Category 5 simulation storm called Hurricane Phoenix, the council projected that downtown Tampa would encounter more than 21 feet of water and could face 2,000 fatalities and up to $250. "That the hurricanes are heading right for us and just veer off course.. The previous year, a much-weakened Tropical Storm Eta made landfall about 130 miles north of Tampa in November 2020. "As they are in this two-story building, the water is rising even higher, and you know this was a kid's account talking about it. "We know they moved inland during certain seasons. Waves from the Bay almost reached the streets of Ybor City. "It looks a lot better out there from any of the beaches to the south," Heil said. Was Florida red tide made worse by Hurricane Ian? A storm surge of up to 11 feet damaged and destroyed many structures along coastal locations from Pasco County south through southwest Florida. Hurricane Easy in 1950 produced 38.70 inches of rain in Yankeetown within 24 hours. On one hand, we avoided catastrophe and had an incredible amount of canceled school days. Many people think the mounds could be providing supernatural protection from hurricanes. However, that doesnt stop locals from looking for answers. *Those of us in school in Tampa remember it with dread and fondness. Believe Sarasota was protected, more of them might have lived in Florida for a.. 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