October Hurricane Devastated Clearwater in 1921

Ninety years ago today, Clearwater was savaged by a Category 3 hurricane that left a wake of damage in its path.

Dubbed the 1921 Tarpon Springs Hurricane, the storm was blamed for eight deaths, an estimated $5 million in damage (in 1921 dollars) and a storm surge that rose 11 feet high. Its fury was felt throughout the Tampa Bay area.

To commemorate the anniversary of that storm, the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office has put together an online presentation about the 1921 hurricane. Featuring photos from the storm, facts about the damage it caused and a documentary video, the presentation is meant to remind people it can happen here, said Daniel Noah, the warning coordination meteorologist for the weather service’s Ruskin office.

“Tampa Bay hasn’t had a direct impact from a major hurricane for 90 years,” Noah said. “And we have roughly 2.5 million people living in the area now. The potential for a catastrophe exists.”

Before the 1921 hurricane, the Tampa Bay area saw two major storms, both in 1848.

Although it has been nearly a century since the Bay area faced a major storm, Noah said the reality is this area can never let its guard down.

October Storm Packed Powerful Winds, Surge

The 1921 hurricane had sustained winds of 105 mph and a fearsome storm surge. As it came ashore in Tarpon Springs, it cut through Hog Island in the Gulf, creating two smaller islands known today as  and  islands.

According to the National Weather Service:

"Big trees were falling one after the other, and sometimes as many as three fell at the same time," Conductor Karl Brown said at the time. He lived near Boca Ciega Bay in southern Pinellas County.

Across the bay in Tampa, residents were trapped by twin walls of water bearing down on them. "We saw an enormous wave coming at us from the east. We then saw, at about the same time, the same kind of wave coming at us from the west. Somehow, we got up on top of the wood-frame house and survived," said Arnold M. Wilson, who lived at Hooker's Point.

After the storm passed, survivors had to deal with the flooding it left behind.

The storm "completely inundated Clearwater Beach," Arlos Ogg of Clearwater reported at the time. "Only the palm trees stuck out above the water. It tore down all the private docks that extended from Clearwater to the channel."

St. Petersburg was underwater, as well. "I lived on 18th Avenue North on Beach Drive, and water was 3 to 4 feet deep there," Joseph Dew said. "Water came up Central Avenue to First Street, and the Gulf beaches were covered." 

Some of the storm's effects weren't discovered until later. "One boat got adrift and was found near Oldsmar later, high and dry three miles inland," an unknown resident of St. Petersburg reported.

Local Residents Should Take Storms Seriously

Even smaller storms pose a threat.

“If you lived here in the area in 2004, you saw the impacts from tropical-storm-force winds,” Noah said. “Hurricane Frances was a tropical storm when it came through the Tampa Bay area and still caused almost $750 million worth of damage.”

Late-season storms are a concern for the Bay area, Noah said.

“We have all these tiny little systems, and every once in a while one of them can grow into a monster,” he said. “Those are the ones that make landfall on our coast.”

The 1921 storm began developing Oct. 21, four days before it made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Pinellas County.

A study conducted by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council several years ago shows the impact a major storm could have on the area, Noah said. The ripple effects are likely to be felt throughout the Bay area.

“It’s not a matter of if a hurricane is going to hit our area; it’s a matter of when,” Noah said. “Those that are prepared will have a much easier time of surviving that disaster.”

Threat Continues into October and November

October is a secondary peak month for hurricane season, Noah said.

Hurricane Rina is now swirling around off the coast of Central America. A second area of low pressure is also being watched by the weather service. Although still far from our coastline, Noah said these are the kind of storms that bear careful attention from residents and emergency managers alike.

The study by the planning council estimated what would happen if a major hurricane hit the Bay area now. Noah said the conclusions were disturbing.

Twenty-one of the region’s 37 hospitals would likely suffer damage, some rural parts of the region could lose power for up to 60 days and worse, he said.

It’s "an incredible thing,” he said. Although many people can live their entire lives in the Bay area and never experience a major storm, they are always a strong possibility. “It’s a threat, and it’s going to happen.”

For information about hurricane preparedness, see the Patch Hurricane Guide.