Also referred to as the residual sea levels, these surges occur when a depression passes over the sea, subjecting the water to lower atmospheric pressure than its surroundings. This causes the water level to rise and the surrounding water to sink; a fall in pressure of 1 mb will produce an increase in height of almost 1 cm. Such rises in the sea surface can be compounded by high winds.

Storm surges associated with hurricanes are common in the relatively confined locations of the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Bengal. Abeysirigunawardena et al. (2011) AAAG 101, 5 find that climatic variability is a fundamental element in explaining the changing frequency and intensity of sea surges in coastal British Columbia.