Science · 6 pages · 12 min
Why storm surge is not the same as a wave
Storm surge is a lasting rise of the sea itself, and waves are the short crests riding on it.
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From the opening
Storm surge is a rise in the sea surface caused by a storm's winds pushing water and by its low pressure, and it lasts for hours as a broad slope of water. A wave is a much shorter oscillation that travels across that surface, so surge lifts the baseline and waves are the ridges on top. The opening covers wind setup on a shallow shelf, low pressure adds a smaller lift, and waves ride the higher baseline.
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Inside
- Wind setup on a shallow shelf
- Low pressure adds a smaller lift
- Waves ride the higher baseline
- Why the coast shape changes the surge
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Wind-driven storm surge and the inverted barometer effect
- The distinction between surge and wind waves