A Tsunami Struck Florida Last Week. Here’s How It Was Different From A Quake-triggered Event

A man walks on the flooded street after heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 13, 2023. - Torrential rain has drenched much of greater Miami, leaving cars stranded and forcing the closure of schools and Fort Lauderdale's airport until at least Friday. (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Last week, when a line of thunderstorms moved across Clearwater Beach, Florida, located just west of Tampa, it unleashed gusty winds, torrential rain and another unique weather phenomenon that sent beach chairs tumbling.

According to forecasters at the National Weather Service (NWS), the culprit of the disturbance at Clearwater Beach last Wednesday was a type of tsunami. Rather than the one caused by earthquakes, this type of tsunami – known as a meteotsunami – was triggered by gusty thunderstorms.