Hurricane Milton: What is a storm surge and how far inland can this storm go? What to know

How far inland can Hurricane Milton ’s storm surge go?

Category 5 Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and is expected to make landfall today in west-central Florida.

According to the National Hurricane Center , it has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record and remains extremely dangerous for Florida residents, according to the Pensacola News Journal .

How far inland do you have to be to avoid Milton's storm surge? Here’s what to know.

How far inland can Hurricane Milton's storm surge go?

Even if you’re far inland, you’re at risk of a storm surge.

According to the Weather Channel, from the Everglades up to Cedar Key, Florida’s west coast is at risk of a storm surge, in addition to the state east coast along with Georgia and South Carolina.

According to the Herald Tribune , the hurricane can bring a 12-foot storm surge and can travel dozens of miles inland, pushing into rivers and wetlands.

What is a storm surge?

According to the National Weather Service , a storm surge “is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide.”

Since Florida is a peninsula, it has the potential to experience a massive storm surge. With Hurricane Milton, the water levels can increase drastically and sweep over parts of Florida’s land.

How vulnerable is Florida to a storm surge?

Because Florida is part of the East Coast and Gulf Coast, it is vulnerable to a storm surge when a hurricane is a Category 4.

What is at risk during a storm surge?

Depending on the levels of a storm surge, a lot is at risk. It’s important to evacuate to evacuation zones if your area is at risk of potentially life-threatening storm surges.

The Weather Channel posted a simulation of what could happen during a storm surge:

What causes a storm surge?

Storm surges happen when strong winds from a hurricane blow onto the ocean surface, producing a vertical water circulation. When the hurricane reaches the coast, that vertical circulation is disrupted, and the water has nowhere to go but inland.

It’s not just the ocean that causes a storm surge

Rising water levels on land are not only caused by storm surges—tides, waves, and heavy rainfall from hurricanes all contribute to storm surges.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hurricane Milton: What is a storm surge and how far inland can this storm go? What to know