What Is a Storm Surge From a Hurricane? How Does It Happen?
When it comes to hurricanes, people are often warned to brace for a storm surge. But in order to adequately prepare for it, they must first know what it is.
Hurricanes usually bring with it strong winds that push the water from the sea to the shore, which could result in water levels rapidly rising. This is called a storm surge. People have to be extra careful when there is a storm surge because it causes flooding. And according to the Los Angeles Times, more people die due to drowning than any other reason in times of hurricanes.
But just because a certain city is not located near the ocean does not mean that storm surges are not a threat during terrible hurricanes. Strong winds can also push water from lakes and bays, among others. And the larger the hurricane, the greater the threat.
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In Florida, residents were warned to be alert of a storm surge when Hurricane Irma made landfall. Florida Gov. Rick Scott had cautioned people to get to high ground because of flooding.
"People don't realize it's going to come into your house, it's going to fill up maybe your entire first floor, and then it's going to flow out," Scott previously said. "So I don't know how you're going to survive that. So you just have to think about, you know, you've got to get as high ground as you can and, and, and just pray."
A storm surge is especially dangerous in the Sunshine State because the area surrounding the shore is shallow, which means there is not a lot of protection. Also, in the case of Hurricane Irma, water levels already started to rise even before the storm arrived.
Apart from immense flooding, a storm surge can also damage property and structures. In 1935, the Labor Day Hurricane demolished a good number of buildings and claimed the lives of more than 400 people.
