NOAA Launching Storm Surge Mapping System

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will begin mapping coastal regions in varying hues to represent the danger represented by storm surge, according to a recent article by Barbara Liston.

Recent polls determined the Americans tend to consider wind strength above storm surge when considering evacuation—a mistake that proved costly during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Ike in 2008.

The new maps are intended to provide residents of coastal areas a clearer understanding of the multiple risks posed by Hurricanes. Forty-eight hours prior to the landfall of a hurricane, the NOAA will begin releasing color-coded maps indicating the risk of flooding, updating them every six hours.