4.

What is a storm surge?

A. A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a rain storm.****?

B.A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a tornado.

C.A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a blizzard.

D.A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a hurricane.

The correct answer is D. A storm surge is a huge, destructive swell of water produced by a hurricane.

To arrive at this answer, we can break down the question and analyze the options:

Option A: A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a rain storm.
A rainstorm can certainly cause localized flooding, but a storm surge specifically refers to a surge of water caused by a hurricane. Therefore, option A is not correct.

Option B: A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a tornado.
Tornadoes can cause powerful winds and damage, but they do not produce the widespread, large-scale surge of water that characterizes a storm surge. Therefore, option B is not correct.

Option C: A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a blizzard.
Blizzards are severe winter storms characterized by heavy snowfall and strong winds. While blizzards can result in localized flooding due to melting snow, they do not create the massive surge of water associated with a storm surge. Therefore, option C is not correct.

Option D: A huge, destructive swell of water produced by a hurricane.
Hurricanes, also known as tropical cyclones, are powerful storms that develop over warm ocean waters. They generate intense winds and can cause significant flooding due to the storm surge. This large-scale rise in water level occurs when the hurricane's strong winds push water towards the shore, resulting in coastal flooding. Therefore, option D is correct.

In summary, a storm surge is a significant rise in water level produced by a hurricane, as described in option D.