Causes of storm surge

When severe storms like hurricanes, tropical cyclones, etc., move towards the land, the low pressure and strong winds push the water. They cause the water to rise up and move towards the coast. These tides created can produce water levels much higher than normal tides. As these waves reach the coast and the depth of water decreases, it can significantly increase the waves’ amplitude.

Further on, a location’s vulnerability also depends on the shape of the ocean bathymetry in the region. NOAA’s National Hurricane Center offers a series of maps that can help people identify hurricane-prone areas. A video tutorial on storm surge is shown below:

When a storm surge arrives simultaneously as the high tide, it can raise water levels by as much as 20 feet or more beyond the mean sea level. Water has a density of 1000 kg per cubic meter. The continued impact of storm surge water can significantly damage property, eroding coasts, etc.