VIDEO: Hurricane Milton sucks water out of Tampa Bay

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Bay avoided a major surge from Hurricane Milton as the system made landfall, drawing water out of the bay.

The National Hurricane Center said Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, at about 8:30 p.m. Wedesday.

Prior to this, there were fears that if Milton made landfall in Pinellas County, it would bring life-threatening storm surge of up to 12 feet across Tampa and other parts of the bay.

Instead, water was drawn out of the bay. Video taken by NewsNation reporter Brian Entin showed the seawater heavily receding by Bayshore Boulevard.

“All the water has run out of the bay,” Entin said.

Due to how dark it was Wednesday night, it was not known how much the water receded.

However, Max Defender 8 Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli said the top of Tampa Bay had a -5ft reverse storm surge while the bottom of Tampa Bay saw only two feet of storm surge.

“Shows you just how close this was to a storm surge catastrophe in Tampa Bay and the residents Tampa/ St Pete,” Berardelli said. “But unfortunately Sarasota got nailed by ~10 feet.”

The Florida Division of Emergency Management warned civilians not to step out into the receding water as it would surge back into bay and “pose a life-threatening risk.”

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