What is a storm surge? When will Hurricane Irma's storm surge hit the USA and Caribbean?
HURRICANE IRMA is set to bringer monster storm surges to the Caribbean and Florida.
Weatherman: Hurricane Irma is bringing a deadly storm surge
Hurricane Irma has already flattened several Caribbean islands, leaving at least 18 people dead and over 100 injured.
The hurricane is forecast to move between the central Bahamas and the north coast of Cuba today.
Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern and central Bahamas are forecast to experience monster storm surges between 15 and 20 feet.
Northwester Bahamas could see surges between five and 10 feet, while the northern coast of Haiti and the Gulf of Gonave could see between one and three feet.
Areas of the northern coast of Cuba could see surges of five to 10 feet.
Florida will begin to feel the effects of the hurricane tomorrow, before a likely landfall on Sunday morning.
Irma is set to bring deadly five to 10 foot-tall storm surges to Florida, with warnings in place for Florida Keys and Jupiter Inlet southward around the Florida peninsula to Bonita Beach.
There is a storm surge watch in effect for North of Jupiter Inlet to Sebastian Inlet and North of Bonita Beach to Venice, with possible surges of three to six feet and three to five feet respectively.
What is a storm surge?
A storm surge is an massive rise in sea levels that can cause devastating coastal flooding.
Often resembling walls of water, storm surges are often the deadliest part of a hurricane and can represent the greatest threat to property and life.
What causes a storm surge?
A storm surge is caused by a combination of low pressure and strong winds.
Low pressure at the centre of the hurricane causes draws water up and causes sea levels to rise, while vicious winds drive the surge towards the coast where it can cause mass flooding.
What have been the worst storm surges in the US?
Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest storms ever to hit the US and was responsible for taking almost 1,200 lives in 2005.
It caused a monster 25 foot surge that battered the Mississippi coast. Many structures were completely destroyed, with surge damage extending several miles inland.
In 2004, Hurricane Ivan’s 15ft surge completely submerged to island of Grand Cayman, destroying up to 95 per cent of buildings.
Last year, Hurricane Sandy created a surge that peaked at 14 feet and flooded streets, tunnels and subway lines across New York.
More recently, Hurricane Harvey rose water levels around Texas by as much as 6.7 feet.