A storm surge is an abnormal, transient rise in coastal water level driven primarily by storm-induced atmospheric pressure deficits and wind stress on the ocean surface, superimposed on the astronomical tide. It is characterized by the setup of water against the coastline and over continental shelves, with magnitude controlled by storm intensity, size, translation speed, track, coastal geometry, bathymetry, and background sea level. In research, storm surge is quantified using hydrodynamic models solving shallow-water or primitive equations, coupled with wave and tide models, to estimate surge height, inundation extent, and associated hydrodynamic forces for risk assessment and coastal engineering design.
London is underwater. The Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the Bank of England are all submerged. Far away, the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have collapsed, triggering accelerated ...
Environment
Jul 13, 2026
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At Morningside Park in Miami, a new installation is testing a simple but urgent idea: What if a seawall could help heal the bay? Researchers at the Institute of Environment recently installed a series of 3D-printed seawall ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 7, 2026
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For U.S. coastal residents, storm surge is among the deadliest hurricane hazards, causing catastrophic property damage and loss of life, and scientists expect tropical storms to grow more intense. During Hurricane Ian in ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 7, 2026
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Extreme floods that once swamped coastal communities only rarely are becoming far more common as climate change caused by humans pushes sea levels higher, according to new research published Wednesday. Experts say the findings ...
Environment
Jul 4, 2026
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People in Guam and the Northern Marianas hunkered down on Saturday as the second "super typhoon" to hit the U.S. Pacific territories since April approached with the equivalent of Category 5 hurricane winds.
Environment
Jul 3, 2026
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In 1938 and 1944, two major hurricanes struck Long Island, and after the initial winds subsided, the surges came back unexpectedly hours later, leading observers to wonder whether this was a tsunami. In a study appearing ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 23, 2026
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Extreme weather is becoming the new normal, disrupting human communities across the globe.
Plants & Animals
Jun 22, 2026
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A disorganized cluster of storms that had been plaguing the Gulf Coast for days came together to form Tropical Storm Arthur on Wednesday—the first tropical cyclone of the season in the Atlantic basin.
Environment
Jun 17, 2026
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For almost a century, researchers have known that vertical land motion—the lifting and sinking of the ground—affects sea level locally. As the ground sinks, the sea level rises relative to the land. Scientists also assumed ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 10, 2026
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Human-caused sea-level rise has significantly increased the frequency of extreme coastal flooding worldwide, according to a new study led by a Tulane University researcher. The research, published in the journal Nature Climate ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 10, 2026
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