A friend of mine who lived most of her life on the Chesapeake Bay told of this happening once - a hurricane just sucked the bay out as far as she could see.
I think that is where the storm surge comes from.
“a hurricane just sucked the bay out as far as she could see.”
Isn’t that what happens just before a tidal wave comes in — the sea “empties out” for a while? Then... whoosh!