11 Facts About Storm surge

1.

Storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones.

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2.

Main meteorological factor contributing to a storm surge is high-speed wind pushing water towards the coast over a long fetch.

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3.

Some theorize that as extreme weather becomes more intense and sea level rises due to climate change, storm surge is expected to cause more risk to coastal populations.

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4.

The Storm surge will be driven into bays in the same way as the astronomical tide.

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5.

When HWMs are analyzed, if the various components of the water height can be broken out so that the portion attributable to surge can be identified, then that mark can be classified as storm surge.

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6.

Since storm surge is defined as the rise of water beyond what would be expected by the normal movement caused by tides, storm surge is measured using tidal predictions, with the assumption that the tide prediction is well-known and only slowly varying in the region subject to the surge.

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7.

Storm surge is responsible for significant property damage and loss of life as part of cyclones.

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8.

Storm surge both destroys built infrastructure, like roads and undermines foundations and building structures.

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9.

Major storm surge barriers are the Oosterscheldekering and Maeslantkering in the Netherlands, which are part of the Delta Works project; the Thames Barrier protecting London; and the Saint Petersburg Dam in Russia.

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10.

Mainland areas, storm surge is more of a threat when the storm strikes land from seaward, rather than approaching from landward.

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11.

However, much of this storm surge was likely due to Mahina's extreme intensity, as computer modeling required an intensity of 880 millibars to produce the recorded storm surge.

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