that happens in a tsunami, but In this case it's actually expected, also, in a hurricane based on where it hit and where it was coming from.
If a big storm that is rotating counterclockwise approaches from the south and the eyewall misses you completely, you first get hours and hours of strong wind from the east. If you are on a western coastline with a harbor facing west or south west, the winds will first push the water out to sea. Often for HOURS. Then the back half of the hurricane will push it on shore, but the back half if usually (but not always) less intense in terms of wind.
Conversely, if you are on a eastern coastline with a harbor facing east or southeast, the winds of a hurricane coming from the south will more often push the water on shore.
The counterclockwise rotation is the key.