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Subject: E26) How vulnerable is my coast to storm surge?

Contributed by NHC Storm Surge Unit

The degree of vulnerability of any stretch of coast is dependent on a number of factors which includes the central pressure, intensity, forward speed, storm size, angle of approach, width and slope of the off-shore continental shelf, and local bays and inlets. The figure below illustrates the degree of storm surge threat for a "worst case scenario" Category 4 hurricane normalized along the coastline of the eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States.

Normalized surge threat from a Category 4 hurricane

Last Updated : May 14, 2010

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