I also am concerned about this. With Katrina we learned that the surge doesn't decrease even if the storm weakens before landfall. I thought I understood surge - right side gets the water, left side loses water. So what I really want to know is, does a large storm push water ahead of it? Is there a "ripple" effect, like a stone dropped into water, pushing water out from the center?

I'm in Punta Gorda, on a canal, at 9 feet elevation. I want to know if it would be a good idea put things up higher before we evacuate, or if that would just be a waste of time & energy.

Thanks in advance.

Fay