Half of all the refined petroleum gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel for the state of Florida comes under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. "We've got the high areas in our country we'd be moving people and our assets and staging things in advance. "I've heard that one," she said. "The signature storm for the West Coast of Florida, especially the Tampa Bay area, is the October 25, 1921 storm. Even so, some of those facts are slow to sink in. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. ", Hughes takes phone calls about the myth every year during hurricane season. Turn them in to HCSO Valentines, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, Lake Wales man accused of stealing $400K in property, Burger King brings back fan-favorite item, Missing Child Alert issued for Florida girl, 3, Dead body, infant found inside Tampa apartment, Man arrested after dumping 30 mattresses, box springs:, 4 people found dead inside Florida home, police say, FL man wins lottery, state claims he owes them money, Florida moves to expand Dont Say Gay law, Florida man wins $1 million from $30 scratch-off, Florida man buys $50 lottery game, wins $1M. During our research, we came across a heartbreaking story of survival, death, and devastating destruction. Only a couple hundred-thousand people lived in the area. A new study warns that hurricanes are getting more dangerous because of climate change. she said. It appears Hurricane Ian will give that legend a test in the coming days. *Those of us in school in Tampa remember it with dread and fondness. The Tocobaga people are the land ancestors of Tampa Bay. Just as an example, the city of Tampa had about 51,000 residents in 1920. Is Tampa Safe from Hurricanes? The most obvious reason weve avoided major hurricane problems sheer dumb luck. Paluska asked. According to NOAA, a hurricane makes landfall within 50 miles of New Orleans about once every seven to 11 years. Tampa Bay didn't come out of the storm largely unscathed because of Native American rituals and a Caribbean land configuration that amounts to a blockade against hurricanes, scientists said.. Unfortunately, where the hurricane of 1921 hit just north of Tampa Bay was a worst-case scenario. The National Hurricane Center is predicting storm surge in Tampa Bay and surrounding waters of between 5 and 10 feet (1.5 and 3 meters) above normal tide conditions and rainfall of between 10 and 15 inches (12 and 25 centimeters) because of Hurricane Ian. "I wasn't a believer before, but I am now," Farias said Tuesday as the sun shone over Tampa Bay. Officially the storm remained a major hurricane into Polk County, but was weakening as it moved northeast towards Orlando. The Tampa Bay History Center is built on top of the fort's infirmary. We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Key West, like Miami, has a 16 percent chance of being impacted by a hurricane during any Atlantic hurricane season. Neighbors rescued them. A report from the Boston-based catastrophe modeling firm Karen Clark and Co. concluded in 2015 that Tampa Bay is the most vulnerable place in the U.S. to storm surge flooding from a hurricane and stands to lose $175 billion in damage. A storm surge of up to 11 feet damaged and destroyed many structures along coastal locations from Pasco County south through southwest Florida. The population significantly decreased with the arrival of Europeans (Spanish explorer Pnfilo de Narvez, to be exact) and eventually the tribe was extinct by the 1700s. About 40% of it goes into the facilities at Port Tampa Bay.". CareerSource Pinellas and St. Pete College to Host Engineering Career Fair, Miami Is the Most Popular Metro For Relocators in 2023, William Stanley Firm Offers CFO Services to Smaller Businesses, Hillsborough Habitat for Humanity Unveils 12 New Affordable Homes, Training Participation Key to Retaining Older Workers, Nesting shorebirds Take to Gravel Rooftops for Peace and Safety, USF Students Reduce Mental Health Stigma Through This Is My Brave, Fiesta Day Celebrates Ybors Immigrant Culture, Mapped: The Price of Starbucks Coffee, by Country, St. Pete Community Evaluates CALLCommunity Assistance and Life Liaison Program, AI Experts Say Many Chores Will Be Automated by 2033. "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. Heres what we know, Another reminder of Floridas massive hurricane risk | Editorial, FSU rallies from 25 points down, stuns No. "Thank goodness for the Tocobagans is all I have to say.". Ron DeSantis took note of the regions vulnerability in a Monday afternoon news conference in Largo, Florida. What are those large pyramids next to the Skyway? Lisa Parker draws a blank when asked where she heard it, but she knows she did. The Gulf of Mexico is a warm body of water that is a breeding ground for hurricanes. "I love that story.". "Cape Hatteras is very close to the Gulf Stream, which enables hurricanes to strengthen due to warmer ocean temperatures during the summer," Samuhel explained. The likelihood of storms making a direct hit on the Gulf Coast increases in September and even more in October, during the second half of the hurricane season, when cooler air moves south, and jet-stream winds, which blow around the Earth from east to west, take storm systems with them. ", Ybor City Tampa Bay, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2019. Many of the other cities in the region have experienced similar explosive growth. Tampa Bay was beginning a land boom, and the roaring twenties were in full swing. The conversation must grow louder. ", "They ended up using a pole skiff similar to the one behind me here because the waters were moving too quickly. "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. HURRICANE IRMA: Find all of our coverage here. But, two major hurricanes in 173 years are still two too many. This westerly flow steers systems from west to east. Its almost like when a myth becomes history, Farias said. But it wasn't a catastrophic hit, and thus belief in something otherworldy protecting the area from a hurricane's worst wrath persists. Local legend has it that mounds built by the Tocobaga tribe hundreds of years ago, protected the area from major storms for centuries. In 2017, Hurricane Irma appeared to be headed straight into the Gulf of Mexico toward the St. Petersburg and Tampa area, before it turned into Marco Island instead, 146 miles south of St. Petersburg and Tampa, allowing the area to largely avoid a catastrophic direct strike. They lived in the area from around 900 to 1500s. The storm caused roughly $5 million in damage at the time. On October 25, 1921, the Tampa Bay Area suffered the most destructive hurricane to hit the area since the 1800s. Others believe that they blessed the lands to stay eternally safe from destructive storms and hurricanes. 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. Be ready. 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. At the history museum along the downtown waterfront, he spent the days before Irma's arrival covering Native American artifacts in plastic and moving items into a vault. The storm surge pushed a wall of water inland, with waves from the bay almost breaking in the streets of Ybor City. Miami takes the number one spot on this list with a 16 percent chance of experiencing the impacts of a hurricane in any given year. "Also, because of its southern location, Miami is probably the largest city on this list to see a Category 4 or 5 hurricane in the future.". But, luckily, the area has avoided. The evacuations could affect 300,000 people or more in Hillsborough County alone. On Sundays, the park opens for public tours. The two which affected the Bay Area were Charley and Irma. Although he did not know much about the history of the Calusa Indians, what he did know was the legend in Tampa that the Calusa Indians cast a spell to keep them safe. Tampa Bay is very surge-prone because of its orientation.. FSU rallies from 25 points down, stuns No. Flooding and wind damage from hurricanes is getting more common in the United States, and that trend will accelerate and threaten millions of people as the Earth gets hotter according to new research. The last direct strike was in 1921. "Folk tales give us comfort, so we use something we can't disprove," Baram said. But after wreaking havoc in the Florida Keys, Naples and Miami, Irma weakened and limped to the east of Tampa Bay as a manageable Category 1. Breathing issues are possible at some beaches. It would not have taken too much of pattern a shift for that to happen. 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. For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready. "After this interview, I'm going to go knock on wood cause I'm superstitious," ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska told Brian LaMarre, the Meteorologist in Charge at the National Weather Service in Tampa. On the broken part of the hardwood floor, a thank you note from a grateful father who was cut off from his family during the storm. Then, early Monday morning, Irma's sudden downgrade to a Category 2 reaffirmed her belief. Not since the Tarpon Springs hurricane struck the region in 1921 has Tampa Bay been directly hit by a major storm. "The surge would likely be higher. Hurricane Wilma in 2004, regarded as the worst storm to hit the area, passed just west of Key West and produced a storm surge of 8 feet leaving 60-70 percent of the island under water. "There's nothing wrong with having faith, but if people believe that, one day their luck will run out and there will be serious loss of life," said Stephen Leatherman, director of Florida International University's International Hurricane Center. Or is there a supernatural force protecting us? Why here? At least eight people died and damage was estimated at $5 million at the time. "In order for Tampa to get a direct landfall, the storm has to hit them from the southwest," Kottlowski said. Did American Indians who roamed the land centuries ago protect Pinellas with a blessing? "There is. Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee contributed to this story. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news. Hurricane Irma is the most recent in 2017. Everything underwater, massive flooding," Dr. Luther said. 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. Because the system was so tight, it was able to remain intense far inland, even into southern and eastern portions of the Bay Area. 2023 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "It's like a lot of urban myths; there's no origin, but somehow everyone knows it," Baram said. The most recent near-miss occurred in August 2021 when Tropical Storm Fred came within 195 miles of Tampa. No one spared the storm's wrath from Tampa to Tarpon Springs to Oldsmar to the Village of Cortez. attacks, and spam will not be tolerated. Hours later, Tampa was under 11 feet of water. Another reminder of Floridas massive hurricane risk | Editorial. "That's a lot of rain. 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