Hurricane Storm Surge Risk Map

Provided by: NOAA |Published on: March 10, 2025

Data, Graphs, and Maps

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Scientist Reviewed ↗

Synopsis

This interactive map from NOAA and the National Hurricane Center shows the risk of storm surges in coastal regions based on the category classification of a hurricane.
Students can select the category of the hurricane, then see a color-coded risk assessment for the U.S. East and Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hispaniola, Yucatan, Hawai'i, Southern California, Guam, and American Samoa.

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Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Geography

Authors: NOAA, National Hurricane Center

Region: South and Central America, Jersey Shore, Maine, Hawai'i, New York City, California, Long Island NY, Florida, Washington, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Virginia

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

This map provides a lot of data while remaining easy to navigate.
The map window highlights the areas of focus, allowing students to pay attention to the data without getting distracted or overwhelmed.

Prerequisites

Teachers should be sensitive when sharing this information with students who live in or have family living in the highlighted regions and give students space to experience strong emotions.
Students should know the term storm surge and be familiar with hurricanes.

Differentiation & Implementation

Teachers can incorporate this resource with a lesson about the impacts of climate change on hurricane season. The lesson plan, Hurricanes and Climate Change, has a number of hands-on activities students can use to understand this concept.
After looking at this resource, students, especially those feeling anxious, may benefit from discussing solutions to storm surges and plans to prepare. The video Mangroves + Oysters + Earthen Dikes = Eco Engineering shows an example of a solution to storm surge, flooding, and erosion in Bangladesh that can give students hope for the future. Students can also create a disaster preparedness plan by researching local guidelines.
To hear the experiences of young people who survived hurricanes, students can watch the Youth Climate Story: Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico (Amira) or Youth Climate Story: Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico (Keishla).

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Hurricane Storm Surge Risk Map

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

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