What phenomenon is characterized by rising water levels during a storm?

The phenomenon characterized by rising water levels during a storm is storm surge. Storm surge refers specifically to the increase in water level that occurs when strong winds from a storm, such as a hurricane, push seawater toward the shore. This surge can lead to significant and rapid increases in water levels, often exacerbating the effects of high tides and potentially causing severe flooding in coastal areas.

Understanding storm surge is crucial for assessing the risks associated with coastal storms. While flooding, wave action, and high tide are related concepts, they do not precisely describe the specific process of elevated water levels caused directly by storm conditions. Flooding can result from a variety of factors including heavy rainfall or river overflow, wave action refers to the movement of water caused by waves, and high tide is a regular astronomical phenomenon due to the moon's gravitational pull. None of these phenomena encapsulate the unique and immediate rise in water levels that occurs during a storm, which is why storm surge is the correct choice.