Hurricane Storm Surge
Figure, at right. Observations of wind speed, wave height, and sea level were taken by several altimeters as Hurricane Katrina approached the Gulf Coast. These may be the first direct satellite observations of the storm surge that inundated the region. |
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The panels below show the
residual sea level anomaly after removing the
geoidal, tidal and geostrophic signals, and an inverse barometer response
to atmospheric pressure changes. The bottom of these panels, from the GFO
altimeter, shows sea level rising approaching the coast and windward of
the eye, reaching 90 cm at the coast; this apparently is the wind-driven
storm surge. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of this
kind by altimetry.