Around the Nation Mon October 29, 2012 Risks Rise With Hurricane
Sandy's Surge Originally published on Tue October 30, 2012 7:17
am Hurricane Sandy may be grinding closer to the East Coast with
90 mph winds and torrential rains, but the most devastating
aspect is likely to be storm surge. Simply put, storm surge is
wind-driven water that is forced against the shore, piling up in
low-lying areas where it can cause dangerous flooding. A number
of factors can make storm surge worse: a massive storm with high
winds headed straight for a region full of shallow coastal bays
and inlets. Sandy seems to have them all, says Chris Landsea,
science and operations officer at the National Hurricane Center.
"If warnings about storm surge aren't heeded, there's the
potential for horrific loss of life," Landsea emphasizes.
"That's what happened during Hurricane Katrina." The impact
could be catastrophic when Sandy, which is about 1,000 miles in
diameter, hits the continental shelf, where the water suddenly
becomes shallower a