Weather Tidbits: Storm Surge

This edition of Weather Tidbits will be discussing storm surge. Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water along the coast generated by a storm. It will be above the predicted astronomical tides. Storm surge is very typical for hurricanes. It is the leading cause of death behind hurricanes above freshwater flooding from rain and hurricane force winds. The severity of storm surge is governed by both the current tide cycle and the strength of onshore winds. Storm surge can rise to very destructive levels. Storm surges between 3 and 6 feet can do plenty of damage and cause inundation of roads. Storm surge can approach as high as 15–20 feet in the most severe of cases. This will completely wipe out homes and can alter the coastal landscape. Storm surge is the main driver behind mandatory evacuation ahead of an approaching hurricane.