Hurricane's 90th Anniversary Serves as Grim Reminder it Can Happen Here

Ninety years ago today, the Tampa Bay area was savaged by a Category 3 hurricane that left a wake of damage in its path.

Dubbed the 1921 Tarpon Springs Hurricane, the storm was blamed for eight deaths, an estimated $5 million in damage (in 1921 dollars) and a storm surge that rose to 11 feet in height. Its fury was felt throughout the Tampa Bay area.

To commemorate the anniversary of that storm, the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office has put together an online presentation about the storm. Featuring photos from the 1921 storm, facts about the damage it caused and a documentary video, the presentation is meant to remind people it can happen here, said Daniel Noah, the warning coordination meteorologist for the weather service’s Ruskin office.

“Tampa Bay hasn’t had a direct impact from a major hurricane for 90 years,” he said. “And, we have roughly 2.5 million people living in the area now. The potential for a catastrophe exists.”

While it has been nearly a century since Tampa faced a major storm, Noah said the reality is this area can never let its guard down.

Prior to the 1921 hurricane, the Tampa area saw two major storms in one year — 1848.

Even smaller storms pose a threat.

“If you lived here in the area in 2004, you saw the impacts from tropical storm force winds,” Noah said. “Hurricane Frances was a tropical storm when it came through the Tampa Bay area and still caused almost $750 million worth of damage.”

Late-season storms are a real concern in the bay area, Noah said.

“We have all these tiny little systems and every once in a while one of them can grow into a monster,” he said, adding that October is a secondary peak month for Hurricane Season. “Those are the ones that make landfall on our coast.”

Even Inland Areas Should Take Threats Seriously

While it’s tempting for residents in inland areas, such as Central Pasco and Northern Hillsborough, to think they don’t have to worry about hurricanes as much, Noah says this just isn’t the case.

A study conducted by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council several years ago shows the impacts a major storm could have on the area, Noah said. The ripple effects are likely to be felt throughout the bay area.

“It’s not a matter of if a hurricane is going to hit our area, it’s a matter of when,” Noah said. “Those that are prepared will have a much easier time of surviving that disaster.”

Current Threats

Proving that October is a busy time of year for storms, Tropical Storm Rina is now swirling around off the coast of Central America. Another area of low pressure is also being watched by the weather service. Although still far from our coastline, Noah said these are the kind of storms that bear careful attention from residents and emergency managers alike.

The study by the planning council estimated what would happen if a major hurricane hit Tampa Bay now. Noah said the conclusions were disturbing.

Twenty-one of the region’s 37 hospitals would likely suffer damage, some rural parts of the region would likely lose power for up to 60 days and more, he said.

“(It’s) an incredible thing,” he said. While most people can live their entire lives in the Bay area and never experience a major storm, they are always a strong possibility. “It’s a threat and it’s going to happen.”

To view the presentation about the 1921 hurricane, visit the National Weather Service online.

For more information about hurricane preparedness, see the .