When a major hurricane hits, it is often the storm surge — the sea or gulf water driven ashore by winds — that poses the greatest threat to people’s lives and livelihoods. The storm surge that will accompany Hurricane Helene is expected to peak on Thursday night.

Hurricane Helene was strengthening as it moved toward a forecast landfall over Florida's Big Bend Coast and was expected to bring "catastrophic winds and storm surge" along with it.

Six coastal towns and cities on Florida’s Gulf Coast — which is especially vulnerable to storm-driven flooding — broke storm surge records during Hurricane Helene, according to data analyzed by The Post.