Two million called to evacuate? Flooding in downtown Tampa?
The only thing I can think of that can pose a serious problem is the storm surge, since the landfall point will likely be on the eastern side of the storm and the high forward speed adds a bit, too, but a 110-plus MPH storm that is racing through the landfall area (and will clear out just as quickly) isn't exactly extreme, wind-wise or rain-wise.
As I noted in an earlier post, I have a friend with a house in western St. Petersburg (actually an area called South Pasadena). I've been there twice. It's beautiful, but it's also about two feet above sea level, and it faces the Intercoastal Waterway. There are a lot of people in similar areas, or in condos on the beach.
For years they have talked about how the whole area was just ripe for a massive disaster. Evacuation is constricted from the beaches and Pinellas County. The highest elevation in Pinellas County is only 46 feet above sea level. There are thousands of homes on landfill islands that are at the water's edge. And the storm surge piles up into the shallows around the Bay. So the downtown, waterfront, big home areas are particularly vulnerable to water that gets pushed into the Bay.
I don't remember the year, but a few years ago a tropical storm literally developed right at the mouth of the Bay. Virtually no warning; suddenly 35-45 knot winds pushing the water straight into the Bay. Most of the coastal St. Petersburg neighborhoods were cut off from "mainland" Pinellas County.
With that little bit of acquaintance with the area, I've always worried about what a full-strength hit would do to it. Charley may be just strong enough to give us an idea of how bad it could get, without actually getting that bad. Tonight will be very interesting. Of course, if Charley decides to come in a little south of the Bay, everything gets reversed. Bradenton and Sarasota and Venice could get hit hard, but they don't have the Bay to worry about, and the wind direction will push the water out of the Bay. And then everybody will comment on how lucky they were, and they still won't know how bad it could get.
The next 12 hours will be interesting, to say the least.
indeed, the complex bays and canals in that area are going to be hurt by flooding.
where is this "Port Charlotte" area? weather channel talking about that as the main impact zone.