Yesterday we posted the video of water being sucked from around Long Island in the Bahamas. Today, as Irma is pummeling Florida, the same creepy phenomenon is happening again.
The National Weather Service has confirmed that this phenomenon, known as “negative surge” and “hurricane bulge,” is also occurring in Naples and Tampa Bay, Florida.
12:00 PM: Negative surge ~3.5 FT at #Naples to become 10-15 FT above ground as #Irma moves in. Life-threatening rapid water rise imminent! pic.twitter.com/pbh76VXlqn— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) September 10, 2017
Where is Tampa Bay?
We found these videos showing how Irma is indeed sucking up the ocean in Tampa Bay.
Powerful hurricanes such as Irma steal water
Angela Fritz, deputy weather editor of the Washington Post, noted that extremely powerful hurricanes, such as Irma, can change the shape of the ocean for a period of time. “Basically, Hurricane Irma is so strong and its pressure is so low, it’s sucking water from its surroundings into the core of the storm,” Fritz wrote.
In the center of Irma, the pressure is very low and water is drawn upward in a sucking motion. As the storm gobbles water towards its center, it gets pulled from its surroundings.
Beware, storm surge will return the sea in a deadly blast
As tempting as it may be to get out and play in the empty ocean, it can be very dangerous. Wayne Neely, a forecaster with the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, warned that people should stay clear of the areas where water has receded because the ocean will come back at higher levels and with great ferocity.
Urgent warning for Naples, Florida
Urgent warning about the rapid rise of water on the SW FL coast with the passage of #Irma‘s eye. MOVE AWAY FROM THE WATER! @NWSMiami pic.twitter.com/tjPidwn8D8— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 10, 2017
— Susan Patterson