Hurricane Surge | National Geographic

24 hours from landfall the hurricane has

24 hours from landfall the hurricane has strengthened to category 5

strengthened to category 5

strengthened to category 5 a 350 mile wide heat engine it converts

a 350 mile wide heat engine it converts

a 350 mile wide heat engine it converts the warmth of the sea into winds over

the warmth of the sea into winds over

the warmth of the sea into winds over 155 miles per hour inside the storm

155 miles per hour inside the storm

155 miles per hour inside the storm rising water vapor and churning seas

rising water vapor and churning seas

rising water vapor and churning seas mean the hurricane picks up two billion

mean the hurricane picks up two billion

mean the hurricane picks up two billion tons of seawater every 24 hours the

tons of seawater every 24 hours the

tons of seawater every 24 hours the rains inside the storm are torrential

rains inside the storm are torrential

rains inside the storm are torrential the path is set hurricane historian J

the path is set hurricane historian J

the path is set hurricane historian J Barnes knows what happens next here we

Barnes knows what happens next here we

Barnes knows what happens next here we have a hurricane about to strike land we

have a hurricane about to strike land we

have a hurricane about to strike land we know what is going to happen because

know what is going to happen because

know what is going to happen because we’ve seen it happen before a powerful

we’ve seen it happen before a powerful

we’ve seen it happen before a powerful storm very very large in diameter going

storm very very large in diameter going

storm very very large in diameter going to affect hundreds of miles of coastline

to affect hundreds of miles of coastline

to affect hundreds of miles of coastline a hurricanes biggest killer is water not

a hurricanes biggest killer is water not

a hurricanes biggest killer is water not rain but a wall of water called a storm

rain but a wall of water called a storm

rain but a wall of water called a storm surge 90% of all hurricane deaths are

surge 90% of all hurricane deaths are

surge 90% of all hurricane deaths are from drowning

oceanographer Steven beg watches the

oceanographer Steven beg watches the Atlantic for the first signs of the

Atlantic for the first signs of the

Atlantic for the first signs of the surgery Star Search is not something

surgery Star Search is not something

surgery Star Search is not something that’s been seen by very many people and

that’s been seen by very many people and

that’s been seen by very many people and even fewer survivors so that it’s hard

even fewer survivors so that it’s hard

even fewer survivors so that it’s hard to describe to people the hurricane

to describe to people the hurricane

to describe to people the hurricane sucks warm air upward this generates a

sucks warm air upward this generates a

sucks warm air upward this generates a low pressure zone under the heart of the

low pressure zone under the heart of the

low pressure zone under the heart of the storm

storm

storm pressure is so low the sea rises up and

pressure is so low the sea rises up and

pressure is so low the sea rises up and builds a dome of water beneath the

builds a dome of water beneath the

builds a dome of water beneath the hurricane

the same thing happens every time you

the same thing happens every time you drink from a straw

I’m going to reduce the pressure inside

I’m going to reduce the pressure inside of the straw by sucking on it slightly

of the straw by sucking on it slightly

of the straw by sucking on it slightly and we’ll see what happens

as you can see as I reduce the pressure

as you can see as I reduce the pressure in those in the straw the fluid got

in those in the straw the fluid got

in those in the straw the fluid got pushed up by the surrounding atmosphere

pushed up by the surrounding atmosphere

pushed up by the surrounding atmosphere as it compensated for that pressure lost

as it compensated for that pressure lost

as it compensated for that pressure lost inside all of this draw itself

low pressure raises sea level up to 3

low pressure raises sea level up to 3 feet a big surge can surpass 25 feet the

feet a big surge can surpass 25 feet the

feet a big surge can surpass 25 feet the driver is wind it pushes the sea ahead

driver is wind it pushes the sea ahead

driver is wind it pushes the sea ahead of the storm

of the storm

of the storm when it hits the shallow water of the

when it hits the shallow water of the

when it hits the shallow water of the continental shelf the surge builds what

continental shelf the surge builds what

continental shelf the surge builds what the wind does when it blows in this

the wind does when it blows in this

the wind does when it blows in this direction is induce a verticals of cell

direction is induce a verticals of cell

direction is induce a verticals of cell circulation cell in the ocean water

circulation cell in the ocean water

circulation cell in the ocean water itself it’s underneath the storm as the

itself it’s underneath the storm as the

itself it’s underneath the storm as the hurricane moves closer to shore this

hurricane moves closer to shore this

hurricane moves closer to shore this cell of circulation shuts down it’s now

cell of circulation shuts down it’s now

cell of circulation shuts down it’s now impeded in its internal flow by the

impeded in its internal flow by the

impeded in its internal flow by the friction of the seabed and to keep the

friction of the seabed and to keep the

friction of the seabed and to keep the cell driving it requires a higher head

cell driving it requires a higher head

cell driving it requires a higher head of water that higher head of water in

of water that higher head of water in

of water that higher head of water in here is the storm surge