Storm surge dangers: What to know about storm surge as Hurricane Milton nears Florida
Storm surge is a major threat from Hurricane Milton, which is set to make landfall on Florida's west coast as a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday night. A dangerous, record-breaking storm surge of up to 12 feet is expected for Tampa Bay and Fort Myers. Storm surge could reach a life-threatening 15 feet near Sarasota. Here is how storm surge works and why it's so dangerous: When pressure falls in the center of the hurricane, water levels rise, and the water amasses while the storm is still over the open ocean.
6 Essential Gadgets You'll Want To Keep On Hand For Storm Season
Each year, millions are affected by seasonal storms. Things like hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms, and even regular old thunderstorms can cause immense amounts of damage and suffering. Extreme weather events are regularly to blame for serious flooding, sleet and hail, freezing temperatures, disastrous winds, and dangerous lightning strikes, and each of those issues can result in costly property damage, displacement, injury, or even death. Unfortunately and thanks to our changing climate, these storms are projected to become increasingly worse every year. That's a pretty depressing and scary fact, especially if you're one of the millions of people living in an area prone to severe storms.