Hurricane or Storm Surge which is more dangerous, what is Storm Tide, read all about it.

The beginning of a Storm Surge.

Hurricanes cause massive human misery and property destruction, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale, which is what is relied upon for Hurricane strength classifies 5 categories according to wind speed. Initially, while the storm is being created off of the West Coast of Africa among the first reports we hear is what velocity the wind speed is. At that point in time, it is an important value to know because it assists meteorologist to predict the equally destructive Storm Surge. Pushed by the wind the water in front of the storm piles up, gaining mass as it courses its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Often making landfall before the intense winds, hard rains, and Tornadoes, it is also the last to leave. Having the potential to cause damage far beyond the initially impacted area, we include not only the rise in water levels as it approaches the shore but the residual intense weather associated with the Hurricane. Wind speeds of less than the Saffir-Simpson scale are capable of creating the swelling of the water and pushing the mass on shore, one cubic yard of sea water weighs 1,728 pounds. Weighing an unsusceptible amount a 6-inch swell is able to knock an adult over. As the Hurricane nears landfall we remain fixated on the wind speed, it seems unreasonable when realizing the weight of the water in comparison. Some Meteorologists believe it should be changed to Storm-Surge predictions, at issue is humans have a tendency to hang on to the first bit of information we hear and understand, known as "Anchoring".

(Follow this Link to a further definition of Anchoring)

One of the reason's anchoring is dangerous we tend to depend more upon the Category the storm is in when it makes landfall than the potential damage the preceding waves are capable of producing. Residents have been known to make statements such as not evacuating if the Hurricane is not a Category 3 or more, ignoring the surge and melding it into the storm, we treat it as one event. Actually making it even more dangerous than it is, we ignore that it may have been a Category 5 a few hundred miles out at sea which would cause a much larger surge than a lower classified wind may predict. Losing strength as it approaches landfall it is common for a Hurricane to drop wind speed drastically making damage prediction in our minds much less than what is the reality. We like to categorize everything in our lives making our world easier to understand, the wind is easy to place into manageable pieces, we, for instance, know a 15-knot wind is more intense than a 5-knot breeze. We are able to visualize the potential damage a 100-knot wind is capable of, but not a 6-inch storm surge. Many of us have seen videos of Tsunamis washing ashore with people in front of a 6-foot high wall of water snapping photographs, unfortunately, water appears to not be dangerous. Equally as dangerous is the debris carried along with the water, sand, wood, and large chunks of damaged structures are all deadly items while churning in the violent turbulence of the surge. Storm Surges are the cause of more human deaths than any other component of the storm, it demands respect.

As the waves approach shore, the bottom rises, causing the waves
to increase in height and mass.

Storm Surge is the deepening of water as it is pushed ahead of a Hurricane or a high wind, whitecaps illustrate a low level of a surge, the waves are pushed ahead of the wind. As the topography of the bottom rises nearer the shore the height of the wave increases, the water must have somewhere to go, the momentum and wind drive the mass ashore. The intensity, size, and speed of the storm; as well as the local bathymetry, (profile of the seabed) all are included along with where it makes landfall to predict the extent of the Storm Surge. Storm Tide is the total sea level during the storm, included is the normal tide dictated by the moon plus the mass of water driven before the Hurricane. The strongest Storm Tides are often observed when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in alignment, also taken into consideration for the Storm Surge prediction. Storm intensity, forward motion, size of the storm, the pressures in the center, the shape and the angle of approach to shore combined with the bathymetry are all part of the destructive forces. It is small wonder we pay attention to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale system of categorization than attempt to interpret everything involved in predicting the impending flood of water.

The flood of water comes in many forms, ocean waves, torrential rainfall, overflowing water containment, and water runoff from mountains. When the Hurricane is reduced to a storm on shore the rain, and atmospheric disturbances continue far inland, as with the case of Florence. The heavy rainfall, driven by the storm continued into North Carolina which is populated with mountains causing the runoff to flow into South Carolina delaying the flow for an extended time. One week after the Hurricane passed water continued to inundate the Southern State adding to the water deposited there during their initial storm event. Adding to the Storm Surge that preceded the main event, it is the first to come and the last to leave.

Bathurst Bay, Australia on March 5, 1899, has the distinction of the largest Storm Surge on record, 13 - 14.6 meters (43 - 48 feet), a true Tsunami. It was the deadliest Category 5 Cyclone in Australian history, the wind speed exceeded 175 mph and an internal pressure of 900 MB. It's a one-two punch, first the storm surge floods everything in its path weakening structures then the Hurricane winds come and knock whats left standing down.

The Hurricane leaves, the water stops flowing, and the flood recedes leaving utility outages often not able to be restored for days, weeks and sometimes months. Cleanup of the soaked debris, repair of levees, and re-claiming properties are then of the highest priority. The surging water dislocated not only the human victims but the animal world as well, snakes, alligators, and wild animals of all species carried along the flood waters to be deposited where there was high ground. Caution must be taken during the remedial process to be certain not to be injured by a confused and disoriented creature. The water is also a distinct threat, in it are all of the chemicals, toxins we use, and animals that met their demise during the storm, turning the high water into a toxic brew. That mixture of chemicals, debris, and dead animals creates a situation of toxicity that is impossible to define and just as difficult for cleanup crews to deal with.

The path of Hurricane Micheal. 

Hurricane Michael will make landfall as a Category 3, (it is so convenient to use the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale), it is estimated to impact as much as a 300-mile strip of coastline from Pensacola to Tampa. Predictions are for an intense Storm Surge, we will be wise to pay attention to it at least as we do wind speed and category. We will all keep an eye on Michael also, most of us are far removed from it, but our human compassion drives our curiosity and our desire to help.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog, Hurricane season remains in full swing and it appears to be sharing its destruction uniformly across the entire Southeastern United States. Thanks again, leave a comment or a question.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com