Storm Surges and Tsunamis

Except where caused by failure of protection works, marine inundation is almost always attributable to severe meteorological conditions, giving rise to abnormally high sea levels, referred to as storm surges. A storm surge can be regarded as the magnitude of sea level 

Hurst Castle Spit with recurved laterals, Hampshire, England. 

Factors that influence storm surges include the intensity in the fall in atmospheric pressure, the length of water over which the wind blows, the storm motion and offshore topography. Obviously, the principal factor influencing storm surge is the intensity of the causative storm, the speed of the wind piling up the sea against the coastline. For instance, threshold 

The northern end of Resunectlon Bay at Seward, Alaska, after It had been affected by a tsunami. The epicentre of the earthquake was 75 km distant. 

Intensity Run-up height (m) Description of tsunami Frequency in Pacific Ocean 

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