CHARLOTTE, N.C. — WCCB’s Nicole Madden explains how Hurricane Irma pushed water out to sea. Many social media users posted videos and pictures showing that the water was no where in site along the coastline.
Picture posted from Long Island in the Bahamas, Tampa Bay and several other locations in Florida showed how the ocean was impacted by Irma’s strong winds. The leading wind bands from Irma push the water out to sea. When the eye of the storm passes, the wind reverses and the water rushes back in.
However, it can be very dangerous when the water returns. The U.S. Hurricane Center warned people to move away from the area because life-threatening storm surge inundation of 10-15 feet above ground level can happen when the water returns.
People walk out onto what is normally four feet of water in Old Tampa Bay, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Hurricane Irma and an unusual low tide pushed water out over 100 yards. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
