It turns out many of us are in the dark about what a hurricane-related storm surge really is. And, unfortunately, not knowing could be deadly—storm surges are one of the greatest threats to both life and land.

Following Hurricane Sandy, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center have made it a priority to improve education about storm surges and, as a result, save lives. While storm surges will remain difficult to predict—due to things like intensity, forward speed, landfall, and pressure—the hope is communicating their risks won't be.

So what is a storm surge? Let’s start with what it isn’t: It is not a wall of water, like a tsunami. It’s actually sea water being pushed toward shore by wind. Storm surges aren’t just a risk along the coast. Storm surges can move miles inland and flood areas not accustomed to sea water. They can also come from other bodies of water, including sounds, bays, rivers, canals, and lakes—sometimes far inland.

Forecasters have already begun changing their language to better communicate how water levels might change. They will now be using the term “height” instead of “depth” because people interpret “height” more accurately. New color-coded maps won’t be ready for this year’s hurricane season, but are planned for release in 2014. Separate storm surge warnings will be rolled out in 2015.

If you have questions about your storm surge coverage, contact your Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance agent today.