They get so much drama out of these hurricanes, it is only 10 to 15 foot storm surge. From my experience being 35 feet above the water level, it all depends where you are when it hits as to what actually happens to you.
During Isabel my boat rode out the storm in the water and yes it rose up a lot, I added a new 8d battery and laid on extra lines and made them real loose, and watched from the parking lot which is much higher than the slips as the water rose and the lines began to tighten up, and I knew I had done what I could. When I returned after it passed, the water was still up and I saw the boat rail had hung up on a large spike in the piling, so took a crowbar and levered it off as the 37 foot boat was heeled over. Glad I did as when the water receded, it would have ripped the bow rail off the boat. I survived intact in the water, but a few boats there sunk. Power was off for a week or so. I was slipped on the York river, VA back then.
AccuWeather meteorologists are issuing urgent warnings as Hurricane Milton intensifies and approaches the Florida Gulf Coast, posing an extreme threat to lives and property. The storm is expected to bring catastrophic impacts, including 10-15 feet of storm surge, 120-140 mph wind gusts, and more than two feet of rain in some areas. Milton has been rated a 4 on the AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale, signaling widespread flooding, severe structural damage, and life-threatening conditions.