When a storm surge triggered by being in the right quadrant of the storm aligns with a waterway like a bay or river, the effects can be even more dangerous. 3 Hurricane wind speeds can reach up to ...

In Hurricane Helene's case, this means that coastal communities along Florida's Gulf coast, particularly to the east of the storm's center, are at a heightened risk of devastating storm surge and ...

The graphic above from the National Hurricane Center provides an excellent discussion of what causes storm surge and why it is maximized on the right side of the storm.

The dirty side is where the storm's forward motion combines with its rotational winds, which increases wind speeds and enhances the storm surge. For example, if a hurricane is moving north at 15 ...

When Hurricane Ian made landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast on Sept. 28, 2022, Fort Myers, Florida, and surrounding areas were blasted by the right front quadrant and sustained catastrophic damage.

Gloriana Cherry, left, and Shannon Lee, search for belongings in the rubble after storm surge from Hurricane Helene destroyed Cherry's family home on Horseshoe Beach. Sept. 28, 2024. When back-to ...

Hurricane Idalia's storm surge reached 12 feet as it plowed into ... Idalia pushed water levels between 7-12 feet higher along more than 33 miles of coast to the north and south of the center.

Have you ever wondered why meteorologists say that the eastern side of the storm is the most dangerous? Or call it the "dirty side" of a hurricane?

WHY FLORIDA'S GULF COAST IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO A HURRICANE'S STORM SURGE. When a storm surge triggered by being in the right quadrant of the storm aligns with a waterway like a bay or river, the ...