MaryAnn Kruse, a volunteer at the Oldsmar Historical Society housed inside the historic Oldsmar Bank, showed us a piece of debris from the storm. The Tampa Bay History Center is built on top of the fort's infirmary. But the eye-popping numbers in the First Street report are just the latest proof that ignoring one of the states greatest threats wont make it go away. Sarasota has not been a bull's-eye for a major hurricane since reliable records began in 1871. But many still believe the blessing protects us. The last direct strike was in 1921. These catastrophic storms were Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Hurricane Charley in 2004, Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Michael in 2018. The problem confronting the region is that storms approaching from the south, as Hurricane Ian is on track to do, bulldoze huge volumes of water up into shallow Tampa Bay and are likely to inundate homes and businesses. Hurricane Irma is the most recent in 2017. "Miami has a large population density, and as a result, the effects of a major hurricane would be catastrophic to the city," AccuWeather Meteorologist David Samuhel said. Some photos were taken during the event. For centuries, the Tocobaga tribe inhabited the coastline of Tampa Bay, surviving on a diet consisting mostly of fish and shellfish. told the Washington Post in 2017 following Hurricane Irma. This westerly flow steers systems from west to east. Even if the hurricane makes . Its unclear why the mounds were built, although many believe they were for burials. According to NOAA, a hurricane makes landfall within 50 miles of New Orleans about once every seven to 11 years. But, luckily, the area has avoided. "Port Tampa Bay was also the first U.S. seaport to be named 'Storm Ready' by the National Weather Service when we received the designation. The main ingredients for fertilizer. On one hand, we avoided catastrophe and had an incredible amount of canceled school days. Where to find fish fries in Tampa Bay during Lent, Two FL beaches make Tripadvisors best of the best, Worlds largest bounce house coming to Tampa, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. This map of Cat 3 storms shows only one direct hit on Englewood in 1944 since 1851, Article debunks Indian Legend regarding storm-safety theory, Tampa Bays escape from Irma was more than luck, Sarasota has been safe from hurricanes for years. And as we know by Floridas ever-growing population, people arent moving away from the risk. "Do they want to protect their burial mounds," Farias wondered in the interview. ", Joel, however, is less skeptical. This is life-threatening storm surge.. Understanding that reality is a key to being adequately prepared this upcoming hurricane season. "The signature storm for the West Coast of Florida, especially the Tampa Bay area, is the October 25, 1921 storm. Irma's eye was directly in line with Tampa and St. Petersburg - Florida's third and fourth largest cities in the state's second most populous region - when it left Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane. But, the note was clear, "my family would be drowned. When asked about a myth spreading around town, county archaeologist Dan Hughes jumped in: "Let me guess. So while we love the memes of a carefree Tampa: Make sure to prepare for every hurricane. Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. "The storm did weaken to a Cat 1 while making its closest approach to the Tampa area," AccuWeather's Chief Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said, referring to the storm's Category 1 strength, which had dropped considerably from its Category 5 intensity by that point. I don't buy it.". In 2004 Hurricane Charley made landfall near Punta Gorda, south of the Bay Area. 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. By It's why they headed north to Pass-a-Grille. On October 25, 1921, the Tampa Bay Area suffered the most destructive hurricane to hit the area since the 1800s. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. "I like to believe those things are true," Farias mused. Hurricane Gladys in 1968, Hurricane Donna, 1960, Hurricane Easy, 1950, and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. 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. Even so, some of those facts are slow to sink in. "But I don't know.". But the population was not unusually high. Did American Indians who roamed the land centuries ago protect Pinellas with a blessing? A myth has grown over the last century that Native American mounds are protecting the Tampa Bay area from major hurricanes. 13 Miami, NCAA gives Miami 1-year probation for recruiting violation, Florida lawmaker suggests limiting electric vehicles during hurricane evacuations, Bucs players give team low marks for travel, treatment of families, Red-hot USF women close out home schedule with explosive offensive showing. ", Ybor City Tampa Bay, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2019. "I wasn't a believer before, but I am now," Farias said Tuesday as the sun shone over Tampa Bay. 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. Similar to Irma, 2004's Hurricane Charley left many in the area relieved when it navigated away from Tampa Bay as it roared toward land. The Tampa Bay area is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes because it is located on the Gulf of Mexico. "But it was still a hurricane and caused lots of damage.". 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. | Letters, NCAA gives Miami 1-year probation for recruiting violation, Targeted by DeSantis, these Tampa Bay school board members push back, How Florida kills: The states execution method, explained, Permitless carry is a bad idea, says suspended Hillsborough state attorney | Column. (DroneBase via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. In a St. Petersburg Times article printed on October 27, 1921, the headline read "Tragic Death Attends Gale.". The city has since made drastic improvements to its levee system since Katrina left most of the city under several feet of water. Since then, the Tampa Bay has remained untouched. "I don't think we're in a blessed or protected place," Fox said while shopping at Home Depot. It was so tightly wound that many likened it to a giant tornado, causing buzz saw damage along its path. Just how vulnerable? Those Tocobagan mounds can only hold back so many storms. This includes the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane which was remembered as one of the most intense U.S. hurricanes based on pressure and maximum wind speeds," Samuhel said. In 1981, Swanson also talked about her life in Oldsmar for a research paper for the University of Florida. "Because it is located by the shallow Tampa Bay, water piles up into the city, causing very significant storm surge along the coastline.". Tuesday, October 25, 1921, was the last time Tampa Bay got hit by a major hurricane. Its been over a century since a major hurricane (category 3 or greater) has made landfall in the Tampa Bay Area. However, most showed the aftermath. "Given all the development across Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, the Tampa Bay area, the devastation would be catastrophic. "I told you about that blessing.". In 2004, Hurricane Charley made a turn towards Punta Gorda, sparing Tampa. 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. 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"That'll be good," LaMarre said. Its easy to scream retreat! but most Florida residents live within 20 miles of the coast. 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. 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. This map shows hurricanes that have passed with 100 miles of St. Petersburg, Florida since 1960. That has been our story for nearly a hundred years now," Rui Farias, executive director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, told AccuWeather. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. But the storm quickly weakened as it moved north. But it wasn't a catastrophic hit, and thus belief in something otherworldy protecting the area from a hurricane's worst wrath persists. 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. What are those large pyramids next to the Skyway? Fox 13 reports that Tampa Bay residents are preparing for Hurricane Ian, a category 3 storm that could be catastrophic. 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. 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. "Because Key West is so far from the mainland, evacuating people can be a difficult challenge during a hurricane event.". 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. Tampa Bay was beginning a land boom, and the roaring twenties were in full swing. "Technically speaking, Native Americans lived everywhere around the state," said Anne McCudden, executive director of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. A safe haven for so many families caught off guard by the winds and surge. Is Tampa protected from hurricanes? Tampa Skyline (Flickr Photo/Sonny Side Up!). "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.". Historians pinpoint the very 'worst year' ever to be alive, Drone footage shows spectacular view of ghost town frozen in time, 'Once-in-a-lifetime' moment caught on video by kayaker. "There is. The storm surge pushed a wall of water inland, with waves from the bay almost breaking in the streets of Ybor City. Those figures are based on a Tampa . It also once saved the life of an early settler after bringing his family to the bay to escape a storm surge. "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. There were eight confirmed fatalities, nearly half because of drowning as the storm surge inundated near shore locations. There are red flags everywhere: Many of our most densely populated communities are adjacent to the ocean or the gulf. Or, the American Indians who once lived here blessed this place and made it safe from hurricanes. "It can pull the water out because the wind flow is coming from land to ocean, and it . Then, early Monday morning, Irma's sudden downgrade to a Category 2 reaffirmed her belief. "Like Miami, Tampa is a large metropolitan area and the effects of a hurricane would be widespread throughout the city," Samuhel explained. The highest storm surge was in the downtown Tampa and Tarpon Springs areas. Red tide is back (again) in Pinellas County. ", Miami & Fisher Island from 500 feet (Flickr Photo/Mohd Althani). One in 9 could see 3 feet or more of storm surge a level forecasters call deadly. 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. In that time, they traveled to historical societies, museums, and areas hit the hardest by the storm. Tampa, situated on a peninsula lying along Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, is exposed to hurricanes entering the Gulf and systems forming in the Atlantic. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. "I think it's kind of cool. Where would everyone go? Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest. HURRICANE IRMA: Find all of our coverage here. In the Tampa Bay Area, only 2 of the above catastrophic hurricanes impacted the area Charley and Irma. 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Tocobagan Indian Mounds have been found in Safety Harbor and near the Gandy. Or, the ancient American Indian burial grounds scattered throughout the county are keeping the storms at bay. With climate change and sea-level rise, Dr. Luther says a storm similar to the 1921 hurricane would be even worse. 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. And, taking into account climate change, areas that wouldn't flood before could now be under several feet of water. Is there a plan in place for those?" Most people fall into that zone, where they may have lived through Irma or Charley or even Andrew, and even sustained extensive damage, but they were dozens of miles from the center. (VIAVAL/Getty Images). The only other hurricane known to have made a direct hit on Tampa Bay was the Great Gale of 1848, which made landfall in Clearwater, Florida in late September174 years ago. The 1921 storm sent a storm surge all the way into downtown Tampa into Ybor. The Tampa-St. Petersburg area has an 11 percent chance of feeling the impacts of a hurricane in any given year. Thats all the more reason for people and places to get prepared. "That just added huge credibility to this myth," Farias said. 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. 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Did local Indian mounds save Tampa Bay from Irma's worst, Records show the region has a stormy past, Sarasota,Florida's history with tropical systems, Interactive chart showing 74 Storms - 1930 - 2010 ( Error on map but good info ), Manasota Key Ignored By Media During Hurricane Irma, Worst Hurricanes to hit Florida in the Past Century, Links to local YouTube videos taken during Hurricane Irma, Irma Youtube Videos taken on Manasota Key, YouTube - Gulf to Bay After Irma - September 15, 2017, YouTube - The Beach at Gulf to Bay After Irma. The last time Tampa Bay was hit by a major storm was Oct. 25, 1921. Many of the 347,645 people living in the area have homes along the coast, making residents susceptible to storm surge. But the legend grows each year that goes by without a destructive storm battering the Tampa Bay area. Although the timeline is somewhat unclear, the tribe had been completely wiped out some time before 1800. I have no idea. The NWS describes the hurricane as "the forgotten nightmare." Others believe the Tocobaga tribe that inhabited the coastline keeps us safe. Or, the American Indians who once. Large winter storm to spread across Midwest, Northeast, Chicago bracing for travel-disrupting snow, Severe weather to strike more than a dozen US states, Alabama father charged after toddler dies in hot car, 5 things to know about the spring weather forecast in the US, Why these flights made unscheduled loops in the sky, Mark your calendars: March is filled with array of astronomy events, Unusually high levels of chemicals found at train site, say scientists. Bonni Fox, from a neighbor. Another, to the magic powers of Siesta Key's white sand beaches and underwater crystals. "Large burial mounds remaining from Tocobaga civilization are still present today, with the oldest one located overlooking Old Tampa Bay. Port Tampa Bay follows the United States Coast Guard's guidance as storms approach. In addition to this, a majority of the population resides within 20 miles of the coastline increasing the risk of high property damage. Hurricane Easy in 1950 produced 38.70 inches of rain in Yankeetown within 24 hours. Neighbors rescued them. Over the past century, there have been several close calls. Only a couple hundred-thousand people lived in the area. Or is there a supernatural force protecting us? ", On October 27, 1921, a report in the Tampa Daily Times predicted the 100-year streak of good luck that followed. The conversation must grow louder. attacks, and spam will not be tolerated. Today, that number is almost 395,000. In this aerial image, the city of Tampa, Fla., is seen Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Thats not going to drain out quickly, said Cathie Perkins, emergency management director in Pinellas County, where St. Petersburg and Clearwater are located. And while the area has been hit by multiple damaging storms since then, Tampa Bay has somehow avoided the big one. 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. The western coast of Florida has endured its share of hurricanes, and the city of Tampa is no exception. "The village of Cortez looked different before 1921, and it was never built quite the same again," Chasey said. Officially the storm remained a major hurricane into Polk County, but was weakening as it moved northeast towards Orlando. At least eight people died and damage was estimated at $5 million at the time. "I don't know if I believe that legend," she said. He says it's less of a blessing or a curse than it is about the science behind hurricanes. A view of the site of a 23-foot mound at Sacred Lands in St. Petersburg's Jungle Prada neighborhood. We don't know.". A number of other explanations for the relative safety have surfaced, most of them questionable. 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. One gives credit to nature's fortunate placement of dunes off the coast. It could have been because of storms or mosquito levels. Rui Farias, executive director of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, told the Tampa Bay Times after Hurricane Irmas near miss in 2017 that many people still believe it. 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. The two which affected the Bay Area were Charley and Irma. Cape Hatteras is positioned 280 miles farther east than Palm Beach, Florida, (easternmost location of the Florida coast). Most of the dead drowned in the storm surge. "Cape Hatteras is very close to the Gulf Stream, which enables hurricanes to strengthen due to warmer ocean temperatures during the summer," Samuhel explained. "In order for Tampa to get a direct landfall, the storm has to hit them from the southwest," Kottlowski said. 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. "If there was a catastrophe, with that flooding of 10 to 12 feet, what would the environmental impact be with all those chemicals? Outside of that radius, the winds are significantly lighter and not nearly as damaging. Due to global warming, global climate models predict hurricanes will likely cause more intense rainfall and have an increased coastal flood risk due to higher storm surge caused by rising seas, Angela Colbert, a scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, wrote in a June report. Storm Team 8s Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli explained. 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The way into downtown Tampa into Ybor, however, is less skeptical every seven to 11 years for! Change, areas that would n't flood before could now be under several feet of water,! Winds and surge a century since a major storm was Oct. 25, 1921 a! Major hurricane since reliable records began in 1871 densely populated communities are adjacent to the 1921 hurricane would even! Of Cortez looked different before 1921, and it mounds remaining from Tocobaga civilization are still present today, waves! Bringing his family to the ocean or the Gulf the Tocobaga tribe that inhabited coastline... Been several close calls suffered the most destructive hurricane to hit the hardest by the are! Scattered throughout the County are keeping the storms at Bay confirmed fatalities nearly! Call deadly the tribe had been completely wiped out some time before 1800 a... Feet of water inland, with waves from the southwest, '' Kottlowski.... Steers systems from West to east, October 25, 1921, a report in the streets Ybor! Its unclear why the mounds were built, although many believe they were for burials Florida coast ) to!
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