Tampa Bay Graphical HWO Coastal Flood

Coastal Residents in typically flood prone areas can expect tidal "run-up" and perhaps some overwash during high tide. Others will experience little change.

Coastal Residents can expect overwash and tidal run-up during high tide. Residents living in or near locally coastal flood prone areas may have water creep into homes. Roads which typically flood in minor coastal events will do so.

Minor beach erosion is possible for events lasting for multiple high tide cycles.

All residents living on prone shorelines can expect some water incursion into their homes. Those in typically flood prone areas may have several feet of water in their homes, causing significant damage. Shoreline roads may briefly close with up to two feet of water across, except those in flood-prone areas which could have upwards of 4 feet of water across them. Significant beach erosion is possible, becoming likely if conditions extend through multiple high tide cycles.

Conditions produced by fast moving frontal systems, or winter gales, will be worsened by battering waves. Such waves will increase the likelihood of property damage, especially to structures on or very near the shoreline.

Coastal Inundation of Prone Communities Possible

All residents living on the shoreline will experience significant flooding during high tide. Homes will likely become uninhabitable in flood prone areas. Entire flood-prone coastal communities will be temporarily cutoff; water levels may exceed 6 feet more than a mile inland. Coastal residents of one story homes who do not evacuate will face life-threatening consequences; those in multi-story or multi-unit facilities risk being cutoff for days. Parked vehicles will be severely damaged in the flood zone.

Conditions produced by fast moving strong frontal systems associated with major winter storms, will be worsened by battering waves. Such waves will exacerbate property damage, including destruction of homes and washing away vehicles. Beach erosion will be substantial, and require months to clean up. Recent examples of major coastal flooding outside of tropical cyclones include early January 1999 and the "No-Name Storm" of March 1993 along the Pinellas and Pasco County shorelines.

Life-Threatening Inundation Likely

All neighborhoods, and possibly entire coastal communities, will be inundated during high tide. Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one or two story homes will face certain death. Many residences of average construction directly on the coast will be destroyed; widespread, devastating personal property damage is likely elsewhere.

Vehicles left behind will likely be swept away. Numerous roads will be swamped; some may be washed away by the water. Entire flood-prone coastal communities will be cutoff, perhaps for more than a week; water levels may exceed 9 feet more than a mile inland. Coastal residents in multi-story facilities risk being cutoff for a week or more.

Conditions produced by fast moving incredible frontal systems associated with hurricane-like storms, will be worsened by battering waves. Such waves will exacerbate property damage, with likely massive destruction of homes, including those of block construction.

Damage from beach erosion could take years to repair. Only one recent non-tropical example exists: The "No-Name Storm" of March 1993 around Florida's Big Bend, where a storm surge of 12 feet was recorded