Although he did not know much about the history of the Calusa Indians, what he did know was the legend in Tampa that the Calusa Indians cast a spell to keep them safe. Why them? The Tampa Bay area hasn't suffered a direct hit from a hurricane since 1929. A storm surge of up to 11 feet damaged and destroyed many structures along coastal locations from Pasco County south through southwest Florida. Or is there a supernatural force protecting us? The storm surge from that hurricane, estimated at Category 3 with winds of up to 129 mph ( 207 km/h) was pegged at 11 feet (3.3 meters). "A lot of people say it's the Indian mounds," Farias replied. The article went on to say, "the tropical storm which was reported Monday to be moving towards St. Petersburg, failed to reach here with any force Monday night, according to the local weather bureau.". Hurricanes are a fact of life in Florida. We don't know.". Just as an example, the city of Tampa had about 51,000 residents in 1920. One of the problems is that gasoline and diesel fuel are lighter than water, so if the tanks are not completely full, it could float off its foundation. Based on historical data, on average a hurricane will pass within 50 miles of the Miami metropolitan area every six to eight years. "The Port of Tampa would have lots of water in it. After all, they are called barriers for a reason. For a century, the Tampa Bay area in Florida has been largely void of any direct landfalling hurricane strikes -- and some locals believe the reason can be chalked up to a supernatural force. Dr. Luther said there are also chemicals for the phosphate industry and refined ammonium stored at the port. High winds can cause a tremendous amount of damage during a hurricane. Although the timeline is somewhat unclear, the tribe had been completely wiped out some time before 1800. | Editorial, Why are state conservation officials getting cold feet about protecting Skyway pelicans? "Do they want to protect their burial mounds," Farias wondered in the interview. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tampa is also located on the coast, which makes it vulnerable to the storm surge that can accompany a hurricane. And with so many new residents moving to the Sunshine State, who have yet to experience a direct hit from a hurricane, emergency managers are concerned residents may not fully understand threat. And as we know by Floridas ever-growing population, people arent moving away from the risk. We spent hours at the John F. Germany Public Library in downtown Tampa combing through newspapers on microfilm. "If you look at our original floors that I'm standing on right now, you can see where there are rusted nails and that kind of thing from floods over the years," Chasey said. told the Washington Post in 2017 following Hurricane Irma. "Folk tales give us comfort, so we use something we can't disprove," Baram said. Others believe that they blessed the lands to stay eternally safe from destructive storms and hurricanes. Or, the ancient American Indian burial grounds scattered throughout the county are keeping the storms at bay. "I've had Realtors call and ask if it's true so they can advertise it," he said. The main ingredients for fertilizer. But the legend grows each year that goes by without a destructive storm battering the Tampa Bay area. Areas around Tampa, Jacksonville and the Big Bend do not have as high of a risk of a direct strike from a hurricane but are still susceptible to a landfall each year. "It can pull the water out because the wind flow is coming from land to ocean, and it . Downed power lines in Ybor City, the trolley line washed away along Bayshore Boulevard, flooded homes in Hyde Park, and docks and boats washed ashore along where the current Tampa Riverwalk now runs. "Miami has a large population density, and as a result, the effects of a major hurricane would be catastrophic to the city," AccuWeather Meteorologist David Samuhel said. What's interesting is so some of the flooding that we had for tropical storm Eta was very similar to some of the future projections for sea-level rise.". We got a tour of the Pinellas County Emergency Operations Center. Tony DeAngelo , for instance, put up 51 points in 64 games with the club last season before they cut him loose. The storms are coming. A storm surge of up to 11 feet damaged and destroyed many structures along coastal locations from Pasco County south through southwest Florida. The most obvious reason weve avoided major hurricane problems sheer dumb luck. Many of the 347,645 people living. As the Gulf Coast just south of Tampa Bay recovers from the devastation left from Hurricane Ian, many Tampa Bay residents are breathing an uneasy sigh of relief. It could have been because of storms or mosquito levels. ", Kottlowski said a direct hitoccurs when a hurricane "passes to within a distance equal to the cyclone's radius of maximum wind," which for Hurricane Irma at that stage was 23 miles. What are those large pyramids next to the Skyway? Was Florida red tide made worse by Hurricane Ian? "That'll be good," LaMarre said. Many people think the mounds could be providing supernatural protection from hurricanes," a recent article by AccuWeather said. "I do believe in the power of God.". On certain days, the park opens for public tours. Evidence to support the tale does not exist, however, according to everyone who studies either county history or American Indian beliefs. Many of these people live in low-lying neighborhoods that are highly susceptible to storm surge and flooding they have rarely before experienced, which some experts say could be worsened by the effects of climate change. Kevin France, AccuWeather staff writer. Half of all the refined petroleum gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel for the state of Florida comes under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. "The surge would likely be higher. Although a major hurricane is long overdue in Miami, the city has dealt with its share of intense hurricanes in the past. "Port Tampa Bay was also the first U.S. seaport to be named 'Storm Ready' by the National Weather Service when we received the designation. "Every spaghetti line had the thing going into St. Petersburg. Did American Indians who roamed the land centuries ago protect Pinellas with a blessing? Another, to the magic powers of Siesta Key's white sand beaches and underwater crystals. This map shows hurricanes that have passed with 100 miles of St. Petersburg, Florida since 1960. In 1981, Swanson also talked about her life in Oldsmar for a research paper for the University of Florida. But the storm quickly weakened as it moved north. Amid all the science, a local legend has it that blessings from Native Americans who once called the region home have largely protected it from major storms for centuries. "That just added huge credibility to this myth," Farias said. Sarasota has not been a bull's-eye for a major hurricane since reliable records began in 1871. One of the nation's largest fully excavated native burial grounds, at Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, offers few additional clues, only that people lived in the area as early as 3,000 B.C. Eight people were killed when the storm hit the seaside town with 120 mph. Elev8 Fun is a family-friendly entertainment concept that is coming to How To Save Money While Preparing for Hurricane Season, Prepare for Hurricane Season: Learn New Hillsborough Evacuation Zones, Ready Pinellas Emergency Planning App Updated for 2022 Hurricane Season, Expect a Competitive Shopping Season, Despite Few Available Homes, Gasparilla International Film Festival Draws Hundreds of Submissions, City Taking Next Steps in Expanding Tampa Riverwalk, New Research Measures the Quality of Work and Life in the Tampa Bay region, Ranked: The Worlds Most and Least Powerful Passports in 2023. Over the past 173 years, Tampa Bay has only been hit by two major hurricanes. Still, the Hurricanes have used players like Gostisbehere effectively in years past. In the Tampa Bay Area, only 2 of the above catastrophic hurricanes impacted the area - Charley and Irma. Tampa, situated on a peninsula lying along Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, is exposed to hurricanes entering the Gulf and systems forming in the Atlantic. "Because Key West is so far from the mainland, evacuating people can be a difficult challenge during a hurricane event.". The most prominent story has to do with American Indians. In July, Hurricane Elsa made a close pass but stayed offshore. The most recent near-miss occurred in August 2021 when Tropical Storm Fred came within 195 miles of Tampa. It appears Hurricane Ian will give that legend a test in the coming days. The last direct strike was in 1921. Some hold the belief that Sarasota is protected from hurricanes because the Native Americans who first settled there knew that it was safe from the elements. Known as the Southernmost City in the Continental United States, Key West is directly impacted by a hurricane every 6.04 years, according to Hurricane City. It is one of the few coastal places skipped over by Spanish explorers, the only people who wrote descriptions of early Florida. McNoldy, the University of Miami researcher, noted that Hurricane Andrews storm surge today would be 7 inches (17 centimeters) higher than it was when that storm pounded South Florida 30 years ago. "I like to believe those things are true," Farias mused. Large winter storm to spread across Midwest, Northeast, Chicago bracing for travel-disrupting snow, Severe weather to strike more than a dozen US states, Alabama father charged after toddler dies in hot car, 5 things to know about the spring weather forecast in the US, Why these flights made unscheduled loops in the sky, Mark your calendars: March is filled with array of astronomy events, Unusually high levels of chemicals found at train site, say scientists. "As time goes on, it comes true.". Streetcar in New Orleans (Flickr Photo/faungg's photos). Im a skeptic. Strong persistent winds will push a lot of water into the bay and theres nowhere for it to go, so it just builds up, said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miamis Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science. There are red flags everywhere: Many of our most densely populated communities are adjacent to the ocean or the gulf. "But I don't know.". VIDEO: Man casually rides jet ski near Sarasota as Hurricane Ian moves in. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty. It was so tightly wound that many likened it to a giant tornado, causing buzz saw damage along its path. Many of the 347,645 people living in the area have homes along the coast, making residents susceptible to storm surge. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. 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