Thoughts on Ivan's storm surge

[LAwxrgal]

Hello everyone, I'm back from my evacuation adventure safe and sound (will talk more about it later).

In reading the posts here today, I keep hearing how surprised people were with Ivan's storm surge and the incredible damage it caused. The pictures along the beachfront tell the tale. One thing to keep in mind was that this storm spent a good deal of its life span as a Category 5 storm. Perhaps Ivan's surge was a residual effect of its former intensity.

Remember last year's Isabel, the most striking thing about it at landfall in the Outer Banks was the surge, it wasn't indicative of the Category 2 it was. That's because it spent a part of its life span as a Category 5. That water, unfortunately, had to go somewhere.

Just something to keep in mind. I might be coming out of left field with this, but it's something I thought about. Maybe the professional mets or someone with more knowledge than myself could either elaborate or refute this point.

[logybogy]

Yeah, I think that is pretty clear what happened with Ivan.

He had winds of mostly low end Cat 3 and stronger but only in very isolated spots but his surge was Cat 4 and in some spots of Cat 5 intensity.

[vacanechaser]

Hello everyone, I'm back from my evacuation adventure safe and sound (will talk more about it later).

In reading the posts here today, I keep hearing how surprised people were with Ivan's storm surge and the incredible damage it caused. The pictures along the beachfront tell the tale. One thing to keep in mind was that this storm spent a good deal of its life span as a Category 5 storm. Perhaps Ivan's surge was a residual effect of its former intensity.

Remember last year's Isabel, the most striking thing about it at landfall in the Outer Banks was the surge, it wasn't indicative of the Category 2 it was. That's because it spent a part of its life span as a Category 5. That water, unfortunately, had to go somewhere.

Just something to keep in mind. I might be coming out of left field with this, but it's something I thought about. Maybe the professional mets or someone with more knowledge than myself could either elaborate or refute this point.

good point about being a cat 5... it does have to go somewhere... the large waves moved out ahead of the system as well and that all piled up and just kept coming.... Same with Isabel.. The larger waves were already on their way... the angle to the coast with Isabel didnt help either....

[SootyTern]

I was up there for Georges and Opal. George's surge was more like a Cat 3 than the 2 he was at landfall; for some reason 10-14 feet sticks in my mind. Ivan must have been pushing a Cat 4 surge ashore.
The news crews reporting from Gulf Shores tonight were at least a couple miles from the beach up route 59; they seemed to be just above where the surge stopped. I recognized the signs in the background but can't remember where exactly those stores were because it's been awhile since I was last there. If the surge is that far in, it's gonna be unbelievably bad on the Ft Morgan peninsula and Dauphin Island.

[HurricaneBill]

Same thing with Hurricane Opal. Opal had built up a powerful surge while she was a strong Category 4. When she quickly weakened down to the lower end of Catergory 3, the storm surge didn't have time to weaken.

So while Opal made landfall, the surge was that of a strong Cat 4.

Considering the rapid intensification of Opal and the huge reduction on evacuation time, it's a miracle that there were no fatalities due to Opal's storm surge.

As for Isabel, she also made landfall at high tide.

[GuffMorlix]

Anyone want to speculate how high the storm surge was at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach? The pictures I've seen are stunning. I can't imagine how much water Ivan must have been pushing.

[LAwxrgal]

GuffMorlix, I'm hearing 17 to 20 feet. I don't know if that's correct, but that's what I'm hearing.

[GuffMorlix]

Wow. Must have looked like the CGI-generated wave from "The Perfect Storm."