Hurricane Helene is projected to have a storm surge that could go as high as 20 feet. Here's what to know about storm surges and damage they cause.

A raging river of Gulf of Mexico water ripped through the heart of Madeira Beach just minutes after deputes blocked access to Pinellas County’s barrier islands at 6 p.m. Thursday. It would be dusk by the time these densely populated islands would start facing the peak of Hurricane Helene’s storm surge,

Storm surge is a bigger killer than wind when a major hurricane hits shore. The areas in the path of Hurricane Helene are more susceptible to surge than other parts of Florida's coast.