Understanding storm surge projections for Tampa Bay area [Video]

TAMPA, Fla. – Officials in the City of Tampa are bracing for record amounts of storm surge from Hurricane Milton.

“That is something that you really only see in the movies,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said during a press conference held Tuesday afternoon.

The National Hurricane Center’s storm surge predictor said a Category 3 storm is projected to cover most of downtown and South Tampa with water nine feet above ground.

Hurricane Milton: Hillsborough County updates & information

“The worst-case scenario that we have seen was Hurricane Ike,” said FOX 13 Meteorologist Valerie Mills, “where the surge actually made it 25 miles inland for parts of Louisiana, parts of Texas.”

Mills points out that Ike caused 20 feet of storm surge, but she said topography is the only thing that can slow down 15 feet of surge. She said the surge will spread out as it moves inland, but a chart from the NHC shows what 5-7 feet …