HOUSTON — Florida is no stranger to tropical weather, but the area around Tampa Bay faces some unique risks.
Situated along the west coast of the Sunshine State, it has not seen a direct hit from a hurricane since 1921. And since that time a lot has changed.
According to census numbers, since 1970, the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater metropolitan area has grown by more than 187 percent. And in that time, barrier islands along the coast have seen a huge surge in development.
Then there is the region’s geography. Experts have long warned that if a strong storm pushes water into Tampa Bay the trapped water will create an even stronger storm surge.
The continental shelf off the west coast of Florida also means the water is pretty shallow. That shallow water can force storm surge further inland. A World Bank study in 2013 called the Tampa Bay region one of the 10 most at-risk areas in the world.
Sea level rise could also be an issue.
According to the Washington Post, since 2010, the Gulf of Mexico has had twice the global average rate of sea level rise. It reports that the water along the Tampa Bay coast is now five inches higher than it was just over a decade ago. That increases the risk of serious flooding.