Experience the Life-Threatening Reality of Storm Surges in VR Simulation

At a Glance

VR simulation immerses users in realistic storm surge scenarios with rising floodwater visualizations based on actual Hurricane Ian footage.
The simulation creates a perception of danger that enhances risk awareness beyond what traditional weather reports achieve.
Participants witness realistic consequences of flooding as furniture starts floating, triggering stronger evacuation consideration.
Developed by multiple universities and NOAA, the simulation required 25+ iterations with field testing for accuracy.
The experience provides coastal residents and emergency personnel a risk-free environment to practice critical response decisions.

Waves crash against windows, water rises around your ankles, and suddenly your living room is underwater—but don’t worry, your socks aren’t actually getting wet! This is the immersive power of a new virtual reality simulation designed to show coastal residents what really happens during dangerous storm surges. Think of it as the scariest swimming pool you’ve ever been in, except it’s all digital and comes with a valuable life lesson.

The simulation is the brainchild of an impressive collaboration between the University of Georgia, Clemson University, Georgia Sea Grant, South Carolina Sea Grant, and NOAA. It’s like the Avengers of weather safety, if the Avengers were really into computer programming and hurricane preparedness. Users can safely practice their emergency responses in this risk-free environment while building crucial decision-making skills.

The project initially got off the ground thanks to a University of Georgia Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant—fancy talk for “here’s some money to try something cool and important.” The simulation incorporates chilling Hurricane Ian footage to enhance the realistic feeling of the experience.

What makes this virtual experience special is how it tricks your brain into thinking you’re actually experiencing rising floodwaters. When users see the virtual water climbing up their legs, their risk perception skyrockets in ways that watching a weather report just can’t match.

It’s one thing to hear “six feet of storm surge expected,” and quite another to virtually wade through your living room as furniture starts floating around you!

NOAA’s Weather Program Office Social Science Program provided essential funding, recognizing that sometimes people need more than facts—they need feelings to motivate action. The teams at UGA’s Center for Advanced Computer-Human Ecosystems and Clemson’s Virtual Reality & Nature Lab worked their tech magic to create something both educational and, frankly, a bit terrifying.

The simulation is already being demonstrated to coastal communities, emergency management professionals, and educators, giving them a dry run at wet disaster scenarios. The simulation required over 25 iterations with hands-on field testing to ensure it accurately represents the dangers of storm surges. As one user put it after removing their VR headset, “I thought I could ride out a storm, but now I’m packing my imaginary bags!”