Storm surge is included in a flood insurance policy. A storm surge is considered indistinguishable from regular flooding for flood insurance purposes.

Hurricanes can be broken down into four quadrants and while all sides are dangerous, the most destructive is the right front quadrant. This is due to the forward motion contributing to the rotation of the storm. This side of the storm tends to have higher winds, higher storm surge, seas, and the highest rainfall.

The main cause of a storm surge is high winds pushing the seawater towards the coast, causing it to pile up there. The strong winds in the storm generate large waves on top of the surge which can cause damage to sea defences, or spill over the top adding to the flood risk.

For example, a Category 4 storm hitting the Louisiana coastline, which has a very wide and shallow continental shelf, may produce a 20-foot storm surge, while the same hurricane in a place like Miami Beach, Florida, where the continental shelf drops off very quickly, might see an 8 or 9-foot surge.

Storm surge is water from the ocean that is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around the hurricane. This advancing surge combines with the normal tides and can increase the water level by 30 feet or more. Storm surge combined with waves can cause extensive damage.

According to the NFIP, the following kinds of damage are not covered by flood insurance: Property and belongings outside of an insured building, such as trees, plants, wells, septic systems, walks, decks, patios, fences, seawalls, hot tubs, and swimming pools.

A storm surge is a rise in sea level that occurs during tropical cyclones, intense storms also known as typhoons or hurricanes. The storms produce strong winds that push the water into shore, which can lead to flooding. In addition, water is pushed in the direction the winds are blowing.

A storm surge can do major damage to anything (or anyone) in its path. The extreme rise in water levels and strong winds can cause severe flooding, property damage, and beach and coastal highway erosion.

In general, storm surge occurs where winds are blowing onshore. The highest surge tends to occur near the “radius of maximum winds,” or where the strongest winds of the hurricane occur. Hurricane Charley, a category 4 hurricane at landfall in Florida, produced a storm surge of 6 to 8 ft.

During a storm surge

• Stay inside where you are protected from the water.
• Monitor the storm’s progress and listen for warnings or instructions from local officials.
• Before driving anywhere, listen carefully to rescue officials who will be coordinating evacuation plans.
• Do not drive through flood waters.

Ensure you do the following during a severe storm: Stay indoors and away from windows. If outdoors, shelter away from drains, gutters, creeks and waterways. Be prepared for power outages.

A storm surge warning is defined as the danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 36 hours, in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.

Storm surge is the rise in seawater level caused solely by a storm. This example illustrates water level differences for storm surge, storm tide, and a normal (predicted) high tide as compared to sea level. Storm surge is the rise in seawater level caused solely by a storm.

It’s not just winds that make hurricanes a threat; the storms can create walls of water that wash miles inland and cause significant damage.