[AFPhys]

Yes...

It seems that instead of the surge kind of concentrating just in the area of Ike it spread out in a huge area instead... Did you see the big surge levels out as far as LA are breaching weakened levees? Some of Ike’s surges there seem quite comparable to Gustav’s direct hit.

[palmer]

Makes sense since Ike's winds were so huge. What could change that is a more inward wind field (because of a stronger central low pressure like the 1900 hurricane). A stronger storm coming off of Cuba would have pushed more water in front of it (Ike was a 1, the 1900 was probably more).

There are other subtle factors that could have made a difference like the dry air that entered from the SW in the early evening. But I think the main factors predominated, and of course the seawall.