PlainHazard

Storm Surge/Tide

NOAA Storm Events type · 1,657 records since 1996 · 31 states and territories

The National Weather Service defines storm surge/tide as: "For coastal and select lakeshore areas, the vertical rise above normal water level associated with a storm of tropical origin (e.g., hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, or subtropical storm), caused by any combination of strong, persistent onshore wind, high astronomical tide and low atmospheric pressure, resulting in damage, erosion, flooding, fatalities, or injuries." NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,657 storm surge/tide records from 1996 through June 30, 2026, the most in Florida (335), with 45 deaths recorded.

How the National Weather Service files storm surge/tide

For coastal and select lakeshore areas, the vertical rise above normal water level associated with a storm of tropical origin (e.g., hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, or subtropical storm), caused by any combination of strong, persistent onshore wind, high astronomical tide and low atmospheric pressure, resulting in damage, erosion, flooding, fatalities, or injuries. Note: Coastal flooding not associated with a typhoon, hurricane, tropical storm or subtropical storm should be reported under the Coastal Flood event; flooding adjacent to the Great Lakes and other lakes with specific assigned Marine Zones should be reported under the Lakeshore Flood event.
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 44

Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).

Storm Surge/Tide, 1996 to 2026

Records per year (2026 to June 30, 2026).

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $10 million
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
1,6571996 to June 30, 2026
Deaths
4543 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$70.5Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Counties with a record
236of 3,266

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026. Search the record at NCEI.

Where do storm surge/tide records happen?

States

  1. Florida 335
  2. Louisiana 296
  3. New Jersey 284
  4. Texas 134
  5. Mississippi 63
  6. North Carolina 61
  7. Alaska 52
  8. Delaware 44
  9. Maine 43
  10. Massachusetts 43
  11. Pennsylvania 39
  12. Alabama 38
  13. New York 37
  14. South Carolina 35
  15. California 33

Counties

  1. Cape May County, NJ 57
  2. Jefferson Parish, LA 42
  3. St. Bernard Parish, LA 41
  4. Monmouth County, NJ 40
  5. Ocean County, NJ 37
  6. Atlantic County, NJ 35
  7. Monroe County, FL 35
  8. Plaquemines Parish, LA 33
  9. Burlington County, NJ 29
  10. Lafourche Parish, LA 29

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).

When do storm surge/tide records happen?

43% of its storm surge/tide records since 1996 fell in September and October. The busiest month is September.

The values, month by month

Jan 105 · Feb 65 · Mar 52 · Apr 48 · May 45 · Jun 140 · Jul 101 · Aug 216 · Sep 474 · Oct 231 · Nov 87 · Dec 93 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

The deadliest storm surge/tide records

The storm surge/tide records with the most deaths
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2008-09-12 Storm Surge/TideGalveston County, TX · forecast zone Galveston Storm tide ranged from 10 to 15 feet above mean sea level along the Galveston Bay, Clear Lake and associated tributaries which caused major flooding of coastal areas. Some higher surge levels up to 17 feet were indicated on the Bolivar Peninsula. At least 10 direct fatalities occurred in Galveston County. Number of ... 12 0 $5.5B
2022-09-28 Storm Surge/TideCollier County, FL · forecast zone Coastal Collier County Significant to major storm surge flooding covered almost all of Collier County south and west of Tamiami Trail from Everglades City to the Lee County line. Major storm surge flooding was noted within a mile of the Gulf coast, both at the beachfront and the Intracoastal Waterways. Farther inland, significant to major ... 8 0 –
2018-10-10 Storm Surge/TideBay County, FL · forecast zone Coastal Bay Hurricane Michael started as typical weak October Caribbean tropical system. However, after approximately a week of slow development, the system moved into warm Gulf of Mexico waters and rapidly intensified into a major hurricane as it moved north towards the Florida Panhandle. After a 2-day long intensification ... 4 0 $823M
1999-10-28 Storm Surge/TideCapitola, Santa Cruz County, CA 15 foot swell in association with a relatively high tide produced waves as high as 40 feet which broke trough the seawall in Capitola and flooded low lying streets and businesses. A number of boats were ripped from their moorings and washed ashore or sunk. A 20 male surfer was drowned when he was caught in the huge ... 2 2 $1.8M
2020-09-15 Storm Surge/TideEscambia County, FL · forecast zone Escambia Coastal Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, AL at 5am on Wednesday, September 16th as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Sally produced widespread wind, storm surge, and freshwater flooding across coastal AL and the western Florida Panhandle. Flood and wind damage also extended ... 2 0 –
2012-08-28 Storm Surge/TidePlaquemines Parish, LA · forecast zone Lower Plaquemines Isaac entered the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm on August 26, moving northwest after crossing Haiti, Cuba and the Florida Straits. Isaac strengthened into a hurricane on the morning of the 28th when it was 75 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Isaac made landfall in Plaquemines Parish as ... 2 0 $64M
2011-08-27 Storm Surge/TideOcean County, NJ · forecast zone Eastern Ocean Irene produced torrential downpour rains that resulted in major flooding and a number of record breaking crests on area rivers, tropical storm force wind gusts with record breaking outages for New Jersey utilities, one confirmed tornado and a three to five foot storm surge that caused moderate to severe tidal flooding ... 2 0 –
2022-05-29 Storm Surge/TideHumboldt County, CA · forecast zone Southwestern Humboldt Shelter Cove Fire Department responded to a call about two hikers in the water who had tried to pass a point while hiking The Lost Coast Trail. The tides were not very low this day during the afternoon, nor particularly high, about 4 feet. The swell was around 11 feet at 10 seconds, which brought some larger waves to ... 1 1 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, deaths direct and indirect as filed.

The most recent storm surge/tide records

To June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-09 Storm Surge/TideOrange County, CA · forecast zone Orange County Coastal 1 0 –
2026-01-06 Storm Surge/TideKenai Peninsula Borough, AK · forecast zone Southwest Kenai Peninsula 0 0 –
2025-12-04 Storm Surge/TideHonolulu County, HI · forecast zone Honolulu Metro 0 0 –
2025-08-20 Storm Surge/TideHyde County, NC · forecast zone Ocracoke Island 0 0 –
2025-08-20 Storm Surge/TideDare County, NC · forecast zone Hatteras Island 0 0 –
2025-07-24 Storm Surge/TideSaipan Municipality, MP · forecast zone Saipan 0 0 –
2024-09-26 Storm Surge/TideCollier County, FL · forecast zone Coastal Collier County 0 0 $1.1M
2024-09-26 Storm Surge/TideDixie County, FL · forecast zone Coastal Dixie 0 0 $61M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

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