How much storm surge could Ian bring to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas?
Tropical Storm Ian is now in the Atlantic and is forecast to turn into a hurricane again while approaching South Carolina.
While the system is already offshore of Florida, the National Hurricane Center expects the system could cause life-threatening storm surge through Friday along Florida’s northeast coast, Georgia and the Carolinas.
A storm surge warning also remains for Florida’s east coast from the Flagler-Volusia line to the Little River Inlet, which is near the border between North and South Carolina.
Storm surge is rising water pushed onto land by a storm’s wind and above or beyond the regular tide levels an area experiences, according to the National Hurricane Center. Flooding from storm surge depends on several factors including a storm’s track, strength, speed and size.
Ian left destruction in its wake along the state’s Southwest coast Wednesday. The storm, then a Category 4 hurricane, submerged streets in Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and Naples. The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday predicted that some parts of the west coast could see up to 18 inches of storm surge.
READ MORE: Causeway to Sanibel Island severed as Florida wakes up to Ian’s trail of destruction
How much storm surge could Ian bring now?
Take a look at the National Hurricane Center’s storm surge prediction below:
This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 8:54 AM.
