Hurricane Milton isn’t expected to directly affect the tri-state area, but with so much of Florida’s heavily populated cities, including Tampa and Orlando, in its path, many residents locally have expressed concern for families and friends in the south.

With reverse storm surge, especially in larger storms, the opposite happens, explained AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok in 2022, after Ian hit. “It can pull the water out because the wind flow is coming from land to ocean, and it pushes the water,” he said. “The power of the wind is incredible.”