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.
In order to understand currents, tides and other ocean dynamics, scientists need to accurately capture sea surface height, or a snapshot of the ocean's surface, including peaks and valleys due to changes in wind, currents ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 9, 2026
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Like much of the rest of the planet, the climate in Norway is changing—both the air and the ocean are getting warmer. The weather is getting harsher at the same time as sea levels are rising, increasing the risk of storm ...
Environment
Jan 5, 2026
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On many days, Apple Street looks like a picture postcard of New England. Oaks shade a time-worn stone wall, boat sheds loll behind granite outcrops. But during storms, this pretty lane only a few feet above sea level can ...
Environment
Dec 11, 2025
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New research shows how the combination of extreme climate events, sea-level rise and land subsidence could create larger and deeper floods in coastal cities in future.
Earth Sciences
Dec 2, 2025
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When hurricanes or strong storms sweep up the United States' East Coast and meet the shores of the country's largest estuary, Chesapeake Bay, the familiar pattern of storm activity gets a little more complicated. A new study, ...
Tropical cyclones—also known as hurricanes, typhoons or storms, depending on their location and intensity—are among the world's most destructive and costly climate disasters.
Environment
Nov 8, 2025
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Fueled by abnormally warm Caribbean waters, Hurricane Melissa exploded into a Category 5 cyclone while moving at little more than a strolling pace—a dangerous mix that could amplify its impacts through relentless rain, storm ...
Environment
Oct 28, 2025
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Hurricanes are America's most destructive natural hazards, causing more deaths and property damage than any other type of disaster. Since 1980, these powerful tropical storms have done more than US$1.5 trillion in damage ...
Environment
Oct 20, 2025
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24
Remnants of a powerful typhoon swept into Western Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta on Oct. 12, 2025, producing a storm surge that flooded villages as far as 60 miles up the river. The water pushed homes off their foundations ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 15, 2025
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31
A new study led by the UC Santa Cruz Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) and East Carolina University (ECU) has found that mangroves significantly reduced storm surges and property damages during Hurricanes Irma ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 15, 2025
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