An abnormal rise of seawater above the predicted astronomical tide, driven primarily by a storm's onshore winds pushing water toward the coast and, to a lesser extent, by the drop in atmospheric pressure at the storm's center. Storm surge is typically the deadliest and most destructive element of a landfalling tropical cyclone, capable of inundating low-lying coastal areas well beyond the normal high-tide line within a matter of hours. Hurricane Katrina's storm surge in 2005 exceeded eight meters in parts of the Mississippi coast, overwhelming levees built for far smaller events.
Facts
ScaleHurricane Katrina in 2005 produced a storm surge of more than 8.53 meters (28 feet) in southern Mississippi, reaching 8.47 meters (27.8 feet) at Pass Christian 1 Connections
Associated With
When an astronomical king tide coincides with a storm surge, the two combine into the most severe recorded coastal flooding events, a documented compound-flood mechanism distinct from either phenomenon occurring alone.
Storm surge is the coastal rise in sea level driven directly by a tropical cyclone's high winds and low central pressure, and is recognized as the deadliest hazard the storm produces.
Sources
1. Storm surge, Wikipedia
Historic storm surges sectionQuote, Historic storm surges section
produced a maximum storm surge of more than 8.53 metres (28 ft) in southern Mississippi, with a storm surge height of 8.47 metres (27.8 ft) in Pass Christian.
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