When a tropical cyclone was approaching the coast of Florida in 2001, marine biologists observed blacktip sharks heading out into the open ocean ahead of the storm, probably to escape the rough currents and pounding waves in the shallow coastal waters. Research by marine scientist Michelle Heupel and colleagues suggests that the sharks weren’t responding to the wind or the waves—instead, they started their evacuation the moment they sensed the barometric pressure dropping below the normal level for the season.
