STORM SURGE

Storm surges are created by strong winds and barometric pressure differences. Strong winds blowing toward the land causes water to be pushed up against the shores. Having a pressure difference between two points can also create storm surge. An example would be a hurricane, in which case, there is an extreme low pressure at the center with the pressure increasing as you move outwards from the center. This change in pressure causes a bulge of water under the low pressure center. The rise in sea level due to storm surge combines with the tides and can cause a rise of mean sea level of up to 15 feet. This rise can cause extreme flooding is regions along the coast, especially when the storm surge occurs at a high tide. Coastal topography also effects how vulnerable an area will be to flooding. Low lying flat areas are more susceptible to inundation than steeper coastal regions.