Hurricane Michael - The Role of Advection

In 2018, Hurricane Michael hit Mexico Beach, FL, as a Category 5 hurricane, with peak water levels over four meters. Michael's flooding was studied using computational models that simulated the storm's water levels and currents. Advective and Bernoulli's acceleration substantially affected the highest water levels and their timing across the affected area. The study identified how the storm's wind and regional geography influenced the advection process. Understanding this helps improve storm surge models by emphasizing the importance of considering advection in predicting storm-related water surges.