In Clearwater, one of the hardest-hit regions, water levels surged to a record 8.6 feet, eclipsing the previous high of 6.8 feet. Similarly, in East Bay, levels peaked at 7.3 feet, surpassing the old record of 6.7 feet.

Victims caught by the surge get battered by rough seas and debris, often drowning in the rising flood. Research of hurricanes hitting the U.S. mainland over the last half-century showed storm surges are responsible for about half of 2,