A storm surge is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low pressure weather systems (such as tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones), the severity of which is affected by the shallowness and orientation of the water body relative to storm path, and the timing of tides. Most casualties during tropical cyclones occur as the result of storm surges.

The two main meteorological factors contributing to a storm surge are a long fetch of winds spiraling inward toward the storm, and a low-pressure-induced dome of water drawn up under and trailing the storm's center. The second effect is responsible for destructive meteotsunamis associated with the most intense tropical systems.

Historic storm surges

The deadliest storm surge on record was the 1970 Bhola cyclone, which killed up to 500,000 people in the area of the Bay of Bengal. The low-lying coast of the Bay of Bengal is particularly vulnerable to surges caused by tropical cyclones. The deadliest storm surge in the twenty-first century was caused by the Cyclone Nargis, which killed more than 138,000 people in Myanmar in May 2008. The next deadliest in this century was caused by the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), which killed more than 20,000 people in the central Philippines in 2013 and resulted in economic losses estimated at $14 billion (USD).

The North Sea flood of 1962 was a natural disaster affecting mainly the coastal regions of Germany and in particular the city of Hamburg in the night from 16 February to 17 February 1962. In total, the homes of about 60,000 people were destroyed, and the death toll amounted to 315 in Hamburg. In addition, three people were killed in the United Kingdom by high winds, which damaged around 175,000 houses in the worst affected city, Sheffield.

Causes

The flood was caused by the Vincinette low-pressure system, approaching the German Bight from the southern Polar Sea. A European windstorm with peak wind speeds of 200 km/h pushed water into the German Bight, leading to a water surge the dykes could not withstand. Breaches along the coast and the rivers Elbe and Weser led to widespread flooding of huge areas. In Hamburg, on the river Elbe, but a full 100 km away from the coast, the residential areas of Wilhelmsburg was most affected.

Events

On Thursday 15 February, German authorities published the first storm warning for the North Sea with wind speeds up to 9 Beaufort. A severe storm warning followed the next day, with a predicted gauge of 3 Metres above normal, which was a level the dykes could withstand.

Storm Surge is a 'Spinning Rapids' water ride at Thorpe Park, Surrey, United Kingdom manufactured by WhiteWater West. It is located in the Amity Cove area of the park, in the vicinity of the park's Tidal Wave-themed ride. Storm Surge, which opened in March 2011 with a fairground ride theme, makes use of the Tidal Wave water which has washed into Amity Cove, as the town enters the 1970s. The ride was relocated from the transforming "Cypress Gardens Florida, which was acquired by Merlin Entertainments to be turned into Legoland Florida.

Ride Experience

The ride contains a 19.5 metre lift hill, and gradually 'spins' to the bottom of the slide, as velcro has been added to make the model of ride (which is usually marketed towards families) more intense, to suit the park's own target audience. As the ride itself does not get riders very wet, various water features have been added, including guest-operated water guns, overhead showers, sprinklers, and geysers. However most of them are broken.