surge: Quick Facts

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Photos

An illustration explaining storm surge, showing a house with water level lines marking surge heights from Hurricane Katrina at 28 feet, Hurricane Ian at 13.25 feet, and Hurricane Irma at 8 feet, alongside a diagram of how a cyclone's winds and rain create elevated water levels along the coast.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Gustav submerge a railroad crossing, traffic signs, and power poles on an industrial street in New Orleans, with only sign tops visible above the water.

destruction caused by a storm surge

Choppy, high water from storm surge covers the shoreline at Sandgate in Brisbane, Australia, with overcast skies and trees visible along the coast after Cyclone Marcia.

A line graph compares types of surface waves by energy and wave frequency, showing ordinary tide waves, long-period waves, wind waves, and capillary waves, with causes such as wind, storms, and earthquakes labeled above each category.

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Topics

burst storm surge Wind microburst fetch Storm eolian sound Squall Windstorm Atmospheric circulation Jet stream Wind chill Breeze

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