Weather & Science
Hurricane Ian’s Brutal Winds Are Sucking Water Out of Tampa Bay
A man walks through the mudflats as the tide recedes as Hurricane Ian approaches on September 28 in Tampa, Florida.
Photographer: Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
While much of southwest Florida is bracing for Hurricane Ian to deliver a storm surge of as much at 18 feet (5.5 meters), Tampa Bay is experiencing the opposite: Powerful winds are pulling water away from the coast.
As the massive storm barrels toward landfall south of Tampa, the winds are actually sucking water out of the bay, exposing the sea floor. Ian is just shy of Category 5, the strongest rating on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.