Do you contend that Tampa Bay having an unusually low tide with a weakening hurricane approaching was a negative circumstance, too? To me, it was a positive.
It’s not always the case that asking a question indicates not knowing the answer.
I think you are hopeless, at least for this evening.
If there is anything in your mind that equates what happened in Tampa Bay with “an unusually low tide”, then you should seek either education or help. You are clueless.
What may be happening is that as the hurricane moves up on the western side of Florida, the wind to the north is blowing east to west and blowing ocean off to the west. Then as it circles around and comes back west to east below the eye, it blows the water back and creates the storm surge people worry about.