With reverse storm surge, especially in larger storms, the opposite happens, explained AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok in 2022, after Ian hit. “It can pull the water out because the wind flow is coming from land to ocean, and it pushes the water,” he said. “The power of the wind is incredible.”

Hurricane Milton is forecast to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday evening with 156 mph winds pushing water inland.

The last time on record that Tampa had 15 feet of storm surge was in 1848, according to one hurricane researcher.