Hurricane Erin won't have a direct impact on Maryland, but coastal towns will see storm surge. Today we discuss what causes storm surge!
Coastal Flood Advisories are in effect for Anne Arundel County until 8am Thursday due to Hurricane Erin passing offshore.
In short, storm surge is caused by the wind of the hurricane pushing the water onto the land. The wind needs to be going from the sea to the land. Factors that determine the amount of the storm surge include:
• The strength of the winds associated with the hurricane (stronger winds push more water onshore)
• The shape of the coastline! (we'll talk more about this in a minute)
• The low atmospheric pressure in the center of the storm can lead to water rise!
• The speed of the storm
• The angle of approach
Phew! I know that was a lot...but we will only cover the two factors that will influence coastal flooding in our region.
The most important factor are the strength and direction of the wind. In short, Annapolis has a Coastal Flood Advisory Thursday because of strong winds, and the shape of the coastline in respect to the direction of the wind. Winds on Thursday will approach from the northeast, which means there's a large fetch of open water with nothing to stop the winds before they reach Annapolis!
The center of Erin will pass almost 300 miles offshore, meaning we'll miss the brunt of the winds. But areas out over the Delmarva Peninsula will see stronger winds and worsening storm surge.
