When people think of hurricanes, their minds often jump to howling winds and torrential rain. But there’s another even deadlier danger—storm surge.
Storm surge is a rapid rise in sea level, driven by powerful winds that push water toward the shore, often drowning coastal areas in feet—sometimes tens of feet—of water. Unlike the gradually rising waters of a river flood, storm surge arrives like an uninvited tsunami, giving people little time to react. It’s not just water, but water loaded with immense force, sweeping away homes, cars, and anything else in its path. For residents near the coast, it’s often the most dangerous part of a hurricane.
The danger of storm surge is growing even more dire because of rising sea levels. As the planet warms and ice caps melt, the overall height of the oceans is increasing. This means storm surges don’t need to be as intense to cause devastating damage. Higher base sea levels make it easier for water to rush inland, submerging more land and putting more people at risk. What may have been a manageable flood decades ago is now a catastrophic one.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge broke through New Orleans’ levees, leading to catastrophic flooding and the loss of nearly 2,000 lives.
But more recently, Florida saw a terrifying example of the power of storm surge with Hurricane Ian in 2022, seen in the video below. Ian’s winds reached a maximum sustained speed of 155 mph, just shy of Category 5, pushing a surge of water that rose between 12 and 18 feet in Ft. Myers.
The storm claimed 150 lives in Florida.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported this as the highest recorded storm surge in Southwest Florida in the past 150 years. Entire neighborhoods were submerged, with homes destroyed and lives forever changed. The speed and ferocity of the water left little room for escape.
Now, the National Hurricane Center has issued a dire warning for Florida’s Big Bend region, predicting an ‘unsurvivable storm surge’ from Hurricane Helene, with waters potentially rising up to 20 feet. That’s taller than most houses, and for those in its path, this could be deadly for those in its path.
Many people underestimate the risk. It’s easy to think of wind speeds and forget that water causes the majority of fatalities during hurricanes. The weight of storm surge water is immense—each cubic yard weighs over a ton. Imagine entire walls of water crashing into homes, erasing shorelines, and destroying roads. Evacuation orders in coastal areas are often tied to storm surge projections. They are not mere recommendations; they are life-saving directives.
As climate warming accelerates, the threat from storm surge becomes more dangerous. Coastal communities that may have once been able to weather hurricanes are finding themselves increasingly vulnerable. Higher seas mean that smaller storms can push greater amounts of water ashore. A once-in-a-lifetime surge could now become more common, with deadly consequences.
What storm surge looks like.
And Storm surge doesn’t just impact the immediate coastline. It can cause widespread flooding in low-lying near-coastal areas, like evacuation Zones A and B, which are especially vulnerable. When storm surge pushes water inland, it floods homes, businesses, and streets, often far from the shoreline.
For instance, in Sarasota, Florida, the popular tourist area of St. Armands Circle frequently floods during major storms due to its low elevation. During Hurricane Idalia in 2023, the surge pushed water into businesses and homes there, leaving the area submerged. Likewise, in Pinellas County, Hurricane Idalia caused severe flooding across coastal neighborhoods as storm surge swelled beyond the beaches, inundating roads and homes, stranding residents, and damaging infrastructure. The surge-driven flooding from hurricanes like Idalia demonstrates just how far-reaching the effects can be, even for areas not directly on the water’s edge.
This makes storm surge particularly dangerous for communities in flood-prone zones, as it can devastate miles of inland neighborhoods.
If you’re near the coast when a storm is on the horizon, it’s vital to take storm surge warnings seriously. Evacuating early is the safest way to protect yourself and your family from this invisible killer.
It’s not just wind or rain. Storm surge, amplified by rising seas, can sweep your life away in minutes. Stay safe. Stay prepared.
The warming climate is not only impacting sea levels, it’s taking its toll on human health too. That is why the Climate Adaptation Center has focused its 4th Annual Florida Climate Conference on November 14-15, 2024, at USF SM on Climate and Human Health.
Join CAC senior scientists, distinguished doctors and top community leaders in an interactive discussion on how we can prepare in advance for the health impacts of our heating climate.
Learn more and buy tickets here.