John Wheeler: The storm surge is a killer – InForum

FARGO – Storm surge is the leading cause of death in hurricanes. The counterclockwise rotation around the eye of a hurricane pushes water, particularly in front of and onto the right side of the eye of the storm. As this water approaches the coast, it can only flow up and over the land. Many factors can affect the height of the storm, including the strength of the hurricane, the wind speed, the forward speed of the hurricane, and the slope of the continental shelf.

The angle at which the storm approaches land can affect the height of the tide, as can the presence of bays and bays. When a storm surge coincides with flooding, it can be intensified. The worst hurricanes have experienced extreme storm surges of 20 to 28 feet above normal water levels, and this height does not take into account the additional height of the tops of waves.

John Wheeler is chief meteorologist for WDAY, a position he has held since May 1985. Wheeler grew up in the South, in Louisiana and Alabama, and credits his family’s move to the Midwest as important in developing his fascination with weather and climate. Wheeler lived in Wisconsin and Iowa as a teenager. He attended Iowa State University and earned a BS degree in meteorology in 1984. Wheeler worked at WOI-TV in central Iowa for about a year before moving to Fargo and WDAY.