TAMPA, Fla. — If you're concerned about a potential storm surge, use a map created by the National Weather Service to check expected water rise levels in your area.
The map shows the potential flooding that could be produced from storm surge during a tropical or post-tropical cyclone. You won't be able to put in your exact address, but you can zoom into the map and get a general sense of where you could be impacted.
On the map, the amount of flooding is color-coded. Blue is water higher than 1 foot above the ground, yellow is water higher than 3 feet above the ground, orange is water higher than 6 feet above the ground, and red is water higher than 9 feet above the ground.
Storm surge is water from the ocean pushed onshore by the force of the winds.
Flooding from storm surges depends on many factors, such as the track, intensity, size, and forward speed of the tropical cyclone and the characteristics of the coastline where it comes ashore or passes nearby.