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Tropical storms and hurricanes frequently pass over the Straits of Florida, energizing the near-inertial wave (NIW) field in the strait. Two ship-based surveys, which were launched shortly after storms, observed velocity shear bands over the western slope of the strait – clear signatures of NIWs. Also, the hydrographic measurements demonstrate the formation of a slantwise critical layer (where isopycnals are parallel with bathymetry) over the western slope, which is known to be a trapping zone for NIWs. A realistic simulation of the Straits confirms the emergence of NIWs under a tropical storm, which is accompanied by inertially-modulated bottom enhanced mixing over the western slope. The mechanism driving the mixing is that the storm-generated NIWs radiate downward from the core of the Florida Current, reflect off the eastern slope, and enter the slantwise critical layer over the western slope; upon entering, wave trapping and amplification lead to the enhanced mixing.