STORM / TIDAL SURGE
A storm surge is a large mound of water that accompanies a tropical cyclone as it
comes ashore.
The intense winds of the cyclone pile up the ocean into a dome of water that is
pushed onshore as the cyclone strikes the coast. The low pressure of the cyclone
adds to the height of the mound of water, though this is a secondary effect.
When the height of a storm surge is discussed it does not take into account the
height of the large waves on top of the mound of water. The combination of storm
surge and astronomical tide is known as 'storm tide'.
The worst impacts occur when the storm surge arrives on top of a high tide. When
this happens, the storm tide can reach areas that might otherwise have been safe.
Water levels can rise several metres in just a few hours during the time of very strong
winds when it is too late to move about so it is important