The report from the National Weather Service in Ruskin is in on Tropical Storm Eta for our area.

What You Need To Know

  • Tropical Storm Eta produced a 4-foot surge in Tampa Bay

  • Sun City Center received more than 10 inches of rain

  • Eta also produced a tornado in Manatee State Park

As you can see by the reports below, Tropical Storm Eta was a storm surge and rainfall event, not a wind event for our area. 

Unlike Irma, which created a negative storm surge and wind gusts to over 90 mph in spots, Eta barely had tropical-storm-force winds (sustained winds of 39-73 mph). 

However, because of the angle of approach of the tropical storm, the surge was impressive and nearly four feet in Tampa Bay.  As we often say, if a tropical storm can do that…imagine the dangerous surge a major hurricane could produce in Tampa Bay!

HIGHEST WIND REPORTS (bold is sustained tropical storm force)

  • Inverness  16 mph (gust 29 mph)
  • Crystal River 16 mph (gust 33 mph)
  • Tampa Executive Airport 24 mph (gust 35 mph)
  • Tampa Int’l Airport  29 mph (gust 44 mph)
  • St. Pete/Clearwater Airport 37 mph (gust 57 mph)
  • St Petersburg Albert Whitted 41 mph (gust 57 mph)
  • MacDill AFB  24 mph ( 32 mph)
  • Lakeland Linder  26 mph (gust 43 mph)
  • Winter Haven 21 mph (gust 41 mph)
  • Sarasota/Bradenton Airport 37 mph (gust 54 mph)
  • Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier 44 mph (gust 58 mph)
  • Tampa Bay Cut J 44 mph (gust 58 mph)
  • Clam Bayou 43 mph (gust 51 mph)
  • Weeki Wachee  37 mph (gust 48 mph)
  • Clearwater Beach 40 mph (gust 51 mph)
  • Tampa Cruise Terminal 28 mph (gust 43 mph)
  • Middle Tampa Bay 40 mph (gust 54 mph)
  • Port of Tampa 32 mph (gust 42 mph)

STORM TOTAL RAINFALL

  • Sun City Center (Hillsborough) 10.39
  • Apollo Beach (Hillsborough) 9.47
  • St Petersburg (Pinellas) 9.11
  • Riverview (Hillsborough) 8.93
  • Valrico (Hillsborough) 8.78
  • South Bradenton (Manatee) 8.10
  • Gulfport (Pinellas) 7.61
  • St. Pete/Clearwater Airport (Pinellas) 6.24
  • Sarasota/Bradenton Airport (Manatee) 6.23
  • St. Petersburg Albert Whitted (Pinellas) 5.47
  • Holiday (Pasco) 5.05
  • Tampa International Airport (Hillsborough) 4.62
  • Lakeland (Polk) 4.31
  • Spring Hill (Pasco)  4.14
  • Brooksville (Hernando) 3.18
  • Winter Haven (Polk) 1.73

TORNADOES

  • 4 SSE Lake Manatee State Park Rated EF0

MAXIMUM STORM SURGE

  • Cedar Key (Levy) 2.1’
  • Clearwater Beach (Pinellas) 2.68’
  • East Bay (Hillsborough) 3.85’
  • Old Port Tampa (Pinellas) 3.87’
  • St. Petersburg (Pinellas) 3.47’
  • Port Manatee (Manatee) 3.03’