Story highlights Hurricane eerily pushes water away from bays and ports

When winds shift directions, the water rushes back quickly, experts say

(CNN) Hurricane Irma's extraordinary strength has caused a seemingly unusual meteorological phenomena: the eerie pushing of water away from shorelines in the Bahamas and the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Jason Beisel, a spokesman for the Florida city of Clearwater, described the scene in a tweet on Sunday: "Creepy site - water in Tampa Bay is already being sucked out. This is view from downtown St. Pete waterfront."

Creepy site - water in Tampa Bay is already being sucked out. This is view from downtown St. Pete waterfront. #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/4hqRDSrDsh — Jason Beisel (@JasonBeisel) September 10, 2017

In Charlotte Harbor, the second largest bay in Florida, Dylan Branscome posted a video on Facebook showing dry, sandy landscape as if the bay had evaporated.

In places like Tampa and Port Charlotte, as the storm approaches from the south, strong winds blowing from the northeast have pushed water out of shallow parts of bays and harbors, according to CNN meteorologist Judson Jones.

"As soon as the wind shifts direction, the water will come back quickly and continue to move inland," Jones said.

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