The 1921 Tarpon Springs Hurricane flooded Tampa Bay and killed eight — but the city was a fraction of the size it is now, and the incoming Hurricane Milton is predicted to be far worse
Tampa Bay hasn’t experienced a direct hit from a hurricane in over 100 years — and the incoming Category 5 Hurricane Milton is expected to bring a storm surge to the low lying city the likes of which has never been recorded in area.
The last time Tampa was struck by a storm was in October, 1921, when the Tarpon Springs Hurricane blew in with 120 mph winds and an 11-foot storm surge that flooded the then-small city.
At least eight people were killed — largely from flooding — which left ocean waves breaking in the middle of downtown until the flooding receded, according to the National Weather Service.
And though Tampa has weathered its share of serious storms in the years since, the city hasn’t faced the brunt of a storm in all that time.
