Author Question: What is a storm surge? How does a storm surge form? What will be the ideal ... (Read 137 times)

Lobcity · **on:** Jul 13, 2018

What is a storm surge? How does a storm surge form?
What will be the ideal response?

Question 2

In recent years, the number of deaths caused by hurricanes has decreased, but the cost of hurricane damage has increased. How would you explain this?
What will be the ideal response?

fur · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 13, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANSWER: Storm surges form as a result of the combined effect of high water (which is usually well above the high-tide level), high winds, and the net Ekman transport toward the coast. A storm surge is an abnormal rise of several meters in the ocean levelwhich inundates low-lying areas and turns beachfront homes into piles of splinters. The storm surge is particularly damaging when it coincides with normal high tides.

Answer to Question 2

ANSWER: With the aid of ship reports, satellites, radar, buoys, and reconnaissance aircraft, the location and intensity of tropical cyclones are pinpointed and their movements carefully monitored. Once a tropical depression forms, its motion and strength are predicted out to the following five days by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, or by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. These forecasts are then updated every six hours (or more often if a hurricane is nearing shore). These forecasts are invaluable with regard to issuing warnings and saving human life. However, despite the available technology today, coastal areas are so much more densely populated, and the worlds population is ever increasing, resulting in ever increasing damage costs as well.