This may be helpful for areas subject to potential storm surge. Palm Beach County is better protected by the ocean floor's make-up of our coast. But note that a prime area of impact for storm surge is Palm Beach which occupies the barrier island. That is the same barrier island that houses our new Casino building that is not built on a fortified foundation and sits behind a seawall of unknown strength. Click title for link to article by Eliot Kleinberg.
It’s not as dramatic a factor in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, because the ocean floor drops off precipitously just off the coast and the deep water absorbs much of the energy of a storm surge. The region also benefits from several ridges.
But the damage is less, not zero.
A June study said three Palm Beach County ZIP codes — 33480 (Palm Beach), 33410 (Palm Beach Gardens) and 33458 (Jupiter) — remain in the top 10 in South Florida in terms of potential storm surge loss because of the combination of surge risk and high property values.
Scientists have said that, even in a minimal storm, water would cover most or all barrier islands and the mainland right along the Intracoastal Waterway, and in a Category 5 storm the ocean could rise up to 10 feet above normal in coastal Palm Beach County and up to 15 feet on the Treasure Coast.
![Dr. W. H. Cotton’s ode: “Oh, My Lake Worth, Florida!” [circa 1920].](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yhHyCn84ZIQ/WezjlEL-0tI/AAAAAAAAPZ4/CzkhriK6zpEJJ3d9Je1495d49gIhnMlxACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/LakeWorthPioneers.JPG)
