The center, or eye, of a hurricane is relatively calm. The most violent activity takes place in the area immediately around the eye, called the eyewall. Some of the air, however, moves inward and sinks into the eye, creating a cloud free area. Storm Surge and Storm Tide Storm surge is a large dome of water, often 50 - 100 miles wide, that sweeps across the coastline near where the hurricane makes landfall. The surge of high water topped by waves is devastating.
Storm tide is the combination of storm surge and the normal astronomical tide.
If the storm arrives at the same time as high tide, the water height will be even greater. A 15 foot surge added to the normal 2 foot tide creates a storm tide of 17 feet. This mound of water, topped by battering waves, moves ashore along the coastline. The combination of storm surge, battering waves, and high winds is deadly. Hurricane force winds of 74 mph or greater, can destroy poorly constructed buildings and mobile homes.