Tampa Bay Faces Rising Tide Levels During Milton's Landfall

This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, shows Hurricane Milton. (NOAA via AP)

As Hurricane Milton approaches the Tampa area, concerns are rising about the potential for storm surge flooding due to the coinciding of the storm's landfall with rising tide levels. The latest update from the National Hurricane Center indicates that Milton's landfall is now expected to occur very late Wednesday night into early Thursday, aligning with the high tide cycle.

With the Tampa Bay area experiencing low tide in the afternoon on Wednesday, water levels are projected to naturally rise as the tide cycle progresses into the evening and overnight hours. In St. Petersburg, water levels are forecasted to increase by nearly 3 feet between the low tide at 2:04 pm on Wednesday and the high tide at 5:59 am on Thursday.

St. Petersburg to see water levels rise by nearly 3 feet from low to high tide.

Hurricane Milton's landfall aligns with high tide, increasing flood risk.

Clearwater Beach to experience a 2.33 feet water level increase from low to high tide.

Clearwater Beach, located just outside Tampa Bay on the Gulf of Mexico, is also expected to see a rise in water levels. From low tide to high tide at 3:37 am on Thursday, water levels at Clearwater Beach are predicted to increase by 2.33 feet.

Furthermore, the storm surge forecast for Tampa Bay indicates the potential for a significant surge of 10 to 15 feet on top of the already elevated tide levels. This surge is expected to be exacerbated by Milton's winds pushing the Gulf of Mexico onshore, posing a heightened risk of flooding for the region.