The storm surge combined with the heavy rain that comes with the hurricane can cause dangerous flooding in low-lying coastal areas, especially when a storm surge coincides with a high tide. This flooding can be the most dangerous part of a hurricane, potentially causing many deaths.
The height of the storm surge is the difference between the level of the ocean and the level that would have occurred normally. A storm surge is usually estimated by subtracting the regular high tide level from the observed storm tide - it can be 15 feet tall or more in a very strong storm.
from that, I extrapolate the storm surge is at its highest as the eye makes landfall. If anything, the shallow depths as the storm approaches land push the water up higher, no? Maybe someone here knows more.
Fox was interving someone at the Nat Hurricane Cntr and he said the storm surge is strongest (said about 15ft in this case)when the eye makes landfall. It is the worst just to the NE of the eye. Guess because of the counterclockwise rotation. He said it was like a bulldozer and this is when you get the major damage along the coast.