LSU researchers find link between hurricane speed and storm surges

Researchers at LSU’s Coastal Studies Institute have found that the speed at which a hurricane progresses across the water might help forecasters predict which areas are at risk from storm surges. Chunyan Li, an assistant professor at the institute, and Joao Rego, a doctoral student, found the forward speed of a hurricane influences the height and inland reach of storm surges, reports New Scientist. Fast-moving storms had high peaks, but the storm surges didn’t penetrate as far inland. Slow-moving storms were the opposite, with a low peak height, but storm surges that went further inland. Li and Rego based their findings on data collected during Hurricane Rita.