USF Receives $1.5M in Federal Funding To Upgrade Hurricane Forecasting Equipment

The University of South Florida secured $1.5 million in federal funds to modernize oceanography tools used in hurricane prediction. This allocation is part of $14 million received from Congress to back seven projects at the school.

Tom Frazer, dean of USF's College of Marine Science, explained the funds will cover equipment improvements. Gliders that capture ocean conditions will get crucial updates. Researchers anticipate receiving the federal dollars within months so work can finish before this year's hurricane season arrives.

"We can get a better understanding of, for example, how fast hurricanes might intensify or if there's going to be a hurricane that's passing somewhere on the Florida coast. What is the water level going to look like that might be associated with that storm surge," Frazer said, according to FOX 13.

The improvements will attach additional sensors to buoys. This boosts accuracy when measuring storms and other ocean events. Those sensors can detect particular types of harmful algae in the water, which assists with predicting red tide and monitoring where it travels.

"Instead of getting four inches of rain in an hour, you might have six or eight inches of rain. And if you can better understand that rate of change, or you can better forecast that, you can use that for your emergency response plans," said Frazer.

Information gathered from storms to algae will serve NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and people across the region. Frazer stated all neighboring counties — Hillsborough, Sarasota, Manatee, and Pasco — will gain from the data.

The 2024 hurricane season challenged Tampa Bay residents. Alice Moore, a Tampa resident, saw her apartment flood when Milton struck. Her car floated away.

"It really was frantic during the time because on a fixed income you have to reevaluate everything," Moore said at an extreme weather meeting hosted by Climate Action Campaign on Wednesday.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor stated the city is raising lift stations and improving stormwater infrastructure. She mentioned that funding remains a barrier.

"With our lift station, being able to raise all of the electricity, getting generators for all of our stormwater ponds, all of those initiatives that really take a great deal of funding. It seems to be that money's always the issue," said Castor.