Here's why storm surges during a hurricane can be so catastrophic

Of all the dangers that… Hurricanes Storm surge poses the greatest threat to life and property along the coast. It can rip homes off their foundations, flood riverfront communities miles inland and breach dunes and levees that normally protect coastal areas from storms.

When a hurricane reaches the coast, it pushes a huge amount of seawater onto land. This is what we call storm surge.

This rise appears as a gradual rise in water levels as the storm approaches. Depending on the size and path of the hurricane, storm surge flooding can last for several hours. It then goes back after the storm passes.

During a hurricane, water levels can be 20 feet or more above normal sea level. With strong waves overhead, a hurricane’s storm surge can cause catastrophic damage.

Related: How strong can hurricanes get?

What determines how high the storm surge will be?

Storm surge begins over the open sky ocean. A hurricane’s strong winds push seawater around, causing the water to pool beneath the storm. The storm’s low air pressure also contributes slightly to the rise in water levels. The height and extent of this pile of water depends on the strength and size of the hurricane.

As this pile of water moves toward the coast, other factors can change its height and extent.

The Depth of the seabed is a factor.

If the seafloor in a coastal area slopes gently away from the shore, the likelihood of a stronger storm surge is higher than in an area with a steeper slope. Gentle slopes along the coasts of Louisiana and Texas have contributed to some devastating storm surges. The tidal wave of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 broke levees and flooded New Orleans. Hurricane Ikes 15 to 17 foot storm surge In 2008, waves swept over hundreds of homes off Texas’ Bolivar Peninsula. Both were large, strong storms that hit vulnerable areas.

The shape of the coast can also influence the surf. When a storm surge enters a bay or river, the land’s geography can act like a funnel, pushing the water even higher.

A diagram showing how storm surge and high tides cause flooding

How storm surge and high tide cause coastal flooding. (Image credit: The COMET Program/UCAR and National Weather Service)

Other factors affecting storm surges

Ocean tides – caused by the gravity of the moon and sun – can also increase or weaken the effects of storm surges. Therefore, it is important to know the timing of the local tides compared to the hurricane.

At high tide the water is already at a higher level. If landfall occurs at high tide, the storm surge will result in even higher water levels and bring more water further inland. The Carolinas experienced these impacts when Hurricane Isaias struck just before high tide on August 3, 2020 4 feet on Myrtle BeachSouth Carolina, but the water level was more than 10 feet above normal.

Sea level rise is another growing problem affecting storm surges.

When the water warms up, it expandsand that has caused sea levels to slowly rise over the last century Global temperatures have risen. Fresh water from the melting of ice sheets and glaciers also contributes to sea level rise. Together, them Increase the background elevation of the ocean. When a hurricane hits, the higher ocean means storm surges can push the water further inland, causing more dangerous and widespread impacts.

This edited article was republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read that Original article.

Yiamastaverna

Yiamastaverna

Here’s why storm surges during a hurricane can be so catastrophic

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