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General Discussion >> Hurricane Ask/Tell

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Fay
Registered User


Reged: Tue
Posts: 3
Surge "above ground" - what does that mean?
      #98657 - Sat Sep 09 2017 02:04 AM

I've lived in Punta Gorda, FL for over 20 years and this surge "above ground" is something I'm not familiar with. Surge was measured above mean tide (or something like that) during Charley in '04. This might be a stupid question, where exactly where is this "ground" that they're using as a baseline? Our house sits 9 feet above "sea level". How do I figure out if we're going to get water inside the house if the surge is 5 to 8 feet "above ground"?

(We're not in the house - we are out of town.)

--------------------
2004 Charley/Punta Gorda


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cieldumortModerator
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Reged: Mon
Posts: 2305
Loc: Austin, Tx
Re: Surge "above ground" - what does that mean? [Re: Fay]
      #98661 - Sat Sep 09 2017 02:40 AM

Surge "above ground" simply means surge above 0' elevation.

Storm Surge FAQs


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Fay
Registered User


Reged: Tue
Posts: 3
Re: Surge "above ground" - what does that mean? [Re: cieldumort]
      #98719 - Sat Sep 09 2017 04:02 PM

Thank you for the link. I'm going to assume that 0 elevation is the same thing as what we used to call "sea level".

To everyone who makes this site possible: Thank you so much!

--------------------
2004 Charley/Punta Gorda


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danielwAdministrator
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Reged: Wed
Posts: 3525
Loc: Hattiesburg,MS (31.3N 89.3W)
Re: Surge "above ground" - what does that mean? [Re: Fay]
      #98723 - Sat Sep 09 2017 04:35 PM

Yes. The old above Sea Level is a bit unused.
Surge is Above Ground. A Seven foot Surge puts the average person under water. And the Waves are ON Top of the Surge


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kapSt.Cloud
Weather Hobbyist


Reged: Fri
Posts: 50
Loc: Long Beach, MS
Re: Surge "above ground" - what does that mean? [Re: danielw]
      #98727 - Sat Sep 09 2017 05:28 PM

The Mississippi lot my current house sits on had a house taken out into the Gulf by Katrina. The storm surge which occurred during high tide was 32'!

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danielwAdministrator
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Reged: Wed
Posts: 3525
Loc: Hattiesburg,MS (31.3N 89.3W)
Re: Surge "above ground" - what does that mean? [Re: kapSt.Cloud]
      #98734 - Sat Sep 09 2017 06:22 PM

Quote:

The Mississippi lot my current house sits on had a house taken out into the Gulf by Katrina. The storm surge which occurred during high tide was 32'!




Yes, I rode through the area just after Katrina. Water is a cleaning agent and will clean the average building right off of the slab. Nothing left but slab.

That said. Irma has still not made the turn, yet.


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kapSt.Cloud
Weather Hobbyist


Reged: Fri
Posts: 50
Loc: Long Beach, MS
Re: Surge "above ground" - what does that mean? [Re: danielw]
      #98761 - Sat Sep 09 2017 10:38 PM

People who are at risk from a storm surge and don't heed the warnings need to download photos of the Mississippi coast after Katrina. It looked like a bomb had been dropped on the three counties which are on the coast. Nothing but slabs left from homes which made it through Camille in 1969. Apartment buildings were reduced to matchsticks. Major bridges which went over the bays...completely gone. I was looking at a lot in a small neighborhood. I inquired of the realtor what happened to the houses fronting US 90. I'm from Florida and have been through many hurricanes, but there was always evidence left behind if a house was completely destroyed. I assumed while looking at the slab lot the clean up was done by workers. I assumed wrong. His answer? He didn't say a word....he just pointed to the Gulf! Only one house for several miles along the coast made it through the storm because it was concrete construction. But, the whole inside was completely gone; just the shell was left. Folks, you can hunker down in wind, but you cannot fight water! The force is too great. Semi trailers from the ports floated and became battering rams. Look at the photos and decide if you want to try to survive hanging onto a tree like so many in this area did. Or if you find a floating piece of debris to grab onto only to be shredded by other debris in the water.

Edited by kapSt.Cloud (Sun Sep 10 2017 01:27 AM)


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