As Hurricane Milton churns toward Tampa Bay, scientists say the swiftly intensifying storm could bring historic devastation to Florida’s second-largest metropolitan area.
It’s a nightmare scenario that has long haunted Florida officials.
For years, scientists and urban planners have warned that rising sea levels and worsening tropical cyclones have made storms a bigger threat to the coastal Tampa Bay area, which includes the cities of Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. And they have strongly suggested that the low-lying region invest in stronger adaptation efforts and more resilient infrastructure to protect itself.
“We are all aware of the risk of the ‘big one’ — a catastrophic major hurricane making landfall,” said Brian Auld, chair of the regional business coalition Tampa Bay Partnership, in a foreword to a 2022 report making an economic case for greater climate adaptation and resilience efforts in the Tampa region.
