Along the Coast, Storm Surge From a Hurricane Is Often the Greatest Threat to Life and Property. 

Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. Storm surge can cause life-threatening conditions.

This rise in water level can cause extreme flooding along the coastal areas and rivers, and can inundate inland areas as the storm approaches.

Storm surge also has the potential to impact critical infrastructure including power, communications, water, sewers, fuel, roads and bridges. Never drive or wade through flood waters; turn around, don't drown!

Damage severity depends on the storm’s size, strength, forward speed and direction of movement. In Sarasota County, storm surge can travel for miles inland, so it is important to evacuate if your area is under an evacuation order.

All storms are different. If your neighborhood did not receive storm surge during the last hurricane, it does not mean that it is safe from storm surge in the next storm. If you are told to evacuate, heed the notice and leave the area.

Storm surge travels well beyond the coast. Heed warning signs and weather alerts.

Storm Surge Poles 

Sarasota County installed four new colorful storm surge poles to help residents better understand the risks associated with storm surge. The poles visually show how high the water could rise above the ground when storm surge occurs.

The Storm Surge poles can be found at: 

• North Jetty Beach
• Manasota Key Beach
• Siesta Key Beach
• Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center

A display is installed next to each pole with more information about how the colors align with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map. The map is an interactive tool that represents a realistic worst-case flooding scenario during an active tropical event.

• Red: Greater than 9 feet of water above ground. This represents catastrophic flooding that can render areas uninhabitable for weeks.
• Orange: 6–9 feet of water above ground, which is high enough to damage building structures and isolate areas from emergency services.
• Yellow: 3–6 feet of water above ground. This level of moving water can easily sweep away vehicles and obstruct evacuation routes.
• Blue: 1–3 feet above ground. Even this relatively shallow moving water poses serious hazards to pedestrians and can damage property.

Storm surge is one of the most dangerous elements of hurricanes and can create life-threatening conditions, shoreline erosion, road and bridge damage, and building destruction along the coast.

Areas along the Gulf Coast are vulnerable, but storm surge is not exclusively a beachfront problem. It can also travel up rivers and canals, reaching well inland from the coastline.

In 2024, Hurricane Helene brought 4–7 feet of storm surge to the Gulf Coast of Sarasota County. Hurricane Milton followed approximately two weeks later, which produced an isolated peak of 10 feet of storm surge in the southernmost areas of the county and 4–9 feet along other parts of the Sarasota County coastline. If you are in an area under an evacuation notice, heed the notice and leave the area. 

Know your evacuation level and sign up for emergency alerts at AlertSarasotaCounty.com. Review the Sarasota County Emergency Preparedness Guide to build your plan and emergency supply kit.