DOCSLIB.ORG

Cumulative Impacts of Hurricanes on Florida Mangrove Ecosystems: Sediment Deposition, Storm Surges and Vegetation Author(S): Thomas J

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Cumulative Impacts of Hurricanes on Florida Mangrove Ecosystems: Sediment Deposition, Storm Surges and Vegetation Author(S): Thomas J Cumulative Impacts of Hurricanes on Florida Mangrove Ecosystems: Sediment Deposition, Storm Surges and Vegetation Author(s): Thomas J. Smith III, Gordon H. Anderson, Karen Balentine, Ginger Tiling, Greg A. Ward, and Kevin R. T. Whelan Source: Wetlands, 29(1):24-34. Published By: The Society of Wetland Scientists DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1672/08-40.1 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1672/08-40.1 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. WETLANDS, Vol. 29, No. 1, March 2009, pp. 24–34 ’ 2009, The Society of Wetland Scientists CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF HURRICANES ON FLORIDA MANGROVE ECOSYSTEMS: SEDIMENT DEPOSITION, STORM SURGES AND VEGETATION Thomas J. Smith III1,GordonH.Anderson2, Karen Balentine2,GingerTiling3,GregA.Ward4,and Kevin R. T. Whelan5 1U.S. Geological Survey, Florida Integrated Science Center, 600 Fourth Street South, Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA 33701. E-mail: [email protected] 2U.S. Geological Survey, Florida Integrated Science Center, Everglades Field Station, 40001 SR 9336, Homestead, Florida, USA 33034 3Jacobs Technology, Inc., c/o 600 Fourth Street South, Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA 33701 4Coastal Planning & Engineering, Inc., 2481 Boca Raton Blvd., Boca Raton, Florida, USA 33431 5U.S. National Park Service, South Florida – Caribbean Inventory and Monitoring Network, 18001 Old Cutler Road, Suite 419, Palmetto Bay, Florida, USA 33157 Abstract: Hurricanes have shaped the structure of mangrove forests in the Everglades via wind damage, storm surges and sediment deposition. Immediate effects include changes to stem size-frequency distributions and to species relative abundance and density. Long-term impacts to mangroves are poorly understood at present. We examine impacts of Hurricane Wilma on mangroves and compare the results to findings from three previous storms (Labor Day, Donna, Andrew). Surges during Wilma destroyed < 1,250 ha of mangroves and set back recovery that started following Andrew. Data from permanent plots affected by Andrew and Wilma showed no differences among species or between hurricanes for % stem mortality or % basal area lost. Hurricane damage was related to hydro-geomorphic type of forest. Basin mangroves suffered significantly more damage than riverine or island mangroves. The hurricane by forest type interaction was highly significant. Andrew did slightly more damage to island mangroves. Wilma did significantly more damage to basin forests. This is most likely a result of the larger and more spatially extensive storm surge produced by Wilma. Forest damage was not related to amount of sediment deposited. Analyses of reports from Donna and the Labor Day storm indicate that some sites have recovered following catastrophic disturbance. Other sites have been permanently converted into a different ecosystem, namely intertidal mudflats. Our results indicate that mangroves are not in a steady state as has been recently claimed. Key Words: basal area, ecosystem change, Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Donna, Hurricane Wilma, Labor Day Storm, mortality, persistence, stability, steady state INTRODUCTION from hurricane storm surges resulted in mangrove mortality. The deposited materials interfere with Hurricanes impact mangrove forests through root and soil gas exchange leading to eventual death three primary mechanisms: wind damage, storm of the trees. Prolonged flooding from water remain- surges, and sediment deposition. High winds snap ing after the storm surge may have a similar effect. and topple stems, break off branches, and defoliate The damage inflicted by each of these mechanisms the canopy (Smith et al. 1994, Doyle et al. 1995). As often varies according to species of mangrove (Smith a storm surge comes ashore stems taller may be 1992, Woodroffe and Grime 1999, Imbert et al. uprooted and knocked over, yet when covered by 2000, Sherman et al. 2001). Descriptions of hurri- the surge, shorter stems may be protected from the cane impacts on mangroves have been reported hurricane’s winds (Smith et al. 1994). Storm surges many times in the literature. Rollet (1981) listed .30 carry suspended sediment that is deposited on the reports published prior to 1976. Since then, the forest floor as the surge recedes (Risi et al. 1995). number of descriptive articles has increased sub- The impact of sediment deposition in the forest stantially. depends on the depth and type of sediment Only recently, however, have studies appeared deposited. Craighead and Gilbert (1962) and Ellison that followed mangrove forest recovery using (1998) reported that very fine sediments deposited repeated measures over time from permanent forest 24 Smith et al., CUMULATIVE HURRICANE IMPACTS ON MANGROVES 25 plots. A value of a permanent plot network is that was related to damage from previous hurricanes. cumulative impacts can be measured accurately over Additionally, because mangrove forest structure is time (Smith 2002). Imbert et al. (1996, 2000) studied the result of hydrology and geomorphic setting the impact of Hurricane Hugo on the mangroves of (Woodroffe 1994, Twilley and Rivera-Monroy Guadeloupe over an eight year period. Baldwin et al. 2005), we specifically tested the hypothesis that (2001) examined regeneration dynamics in man- damage varied according to hydro-geomorphic type groves recovering from Hurricane Andrew in of mangrove forest (e.g., basin, island, riverine). southeast Florida over a seven year period. Ward Finally, we use historic reports concerning impacts et al. (2006) worked on the southwest coast of from Hurricane Donna and the Labor Day Hurri- Florida and reported on 13 yrs of recovery following cane to examine cumulative impacts. Hurricane Andrew. Our study represents an oppor- tunity to examine cumulative impacts of repeated hurricanes over time using permanent research plots METHODS in mangroves. We began work on the southwest Study Area coast of Florida immediately following the passage of Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 (Smith et al. The study area comprises the far southwest coast 1994). All of the plots that were established of Florida from Flamingo north to Panther Key and following Hurricane Andrew were impacted by lies mostly within Everglades National Park (Fig- Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. Prior to our ure 1). Included are Big Sable Creek (BSC), a large work, the southwest coastal Everglades had been tidal creek system with little freshwater runoff, and struck by the Labor Day Storm of 1935 (Reimann the Shark, Harney, Broad, Lostmans, and Chatham 1940), and Hurricane Donna in 1960 (Craighead Rivers that drain the major freshwater sloughs of the and Gilbert 1962). The Labor Day Storm was the Everglades. Approximately 10 to 20 km upstream first Saffir-Simpson Scale category 5 storm to hit the from the Gulf of Mexico the rivers enter a series of United States and Hurricane Donna was a category shallow, interconnected bays. This mosaic of tidal 4 (Houston and Powell 2003). These two storms rivers and bays breaks the coastal zone up into a followed relatively similar and parallel tracks. They network of large islands that comprise the southern moved northwest crossing the middle Florida Keys. portion of the 10,000 Islands (Schomer and Drew Hurricane Donna crossed Cape Sable and then re- 1982). The intertidal vegetation is comprised pri- curved and made landfall near Naples, Florida marily of mangrove forests with Rhizophora mangle (Dunn 1961). The Labor Day Storm passed west of L., Laguncularia racemosa (L.) Gaertn. f., and Cape Sable, then moved northward off the west Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn all present in Florida coastline and made landfall near Cedar Key varying abundance. The interiors of the largest (McDonald 1935). Hurricane Andrew made landfall islands are composed of brackish and freshwater on the southeast Florida coast as a Category 5 marshes dominated by Spartina bakeri Merr., storm, crossed the Florida peninsula, and exited into Cladium jamaicense Crantz, and Juncus roemerianus the Gulf of Mexico just north of the Lostmans River L. Tidal amplitudes range from 1–1.7 m and there is as a Category 4 storm (Landsea et al. 2004). a marked annual variation in sea-level of 25 cm, Andrew’s forward motion was rapid (< 35 km/hr) with the high in October and the low in February and it had a small, compact eye, only some 32 km in (Stumpf and Haines 1998). width (Mayfield et al. 1994). Hurricane Wilma approached south Florida from the southwest and Storm Surges made landfall near Everglades City as a Category 3 hurricane (Pasch et al. 2006, Beven et al. 2008). We measured storm surge at four hydrological Wilma had an extremely large eye at landfall, with monitoring stations that comprise a downstream to the northern eyewall passing south of Naples and upstream gradient along the Shark-Harney River the southern eyewall passing over a wide area from system (Figure 1, see Smith 2004). The datum is the Lostmans River south to Cape Sable (Pasch et NAVD88. Big Sable Creek (BSC) is in a short al. 2006). (, 3 km) tidal creek on the northwest corner of The objectives of our study were to: 1) accurately Cape Sable. Some 200 m of mangrove forest and quantify the damage to mangroves from Hurricane 200 m of mudflat separate it from the Gulf of Wilma both extensively over the landscape and Mexico.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Part 1-B Cause & Impact of Landfalling Tropical Cyclone
    Part 1-b Cause & Impact of Landfalling Tropical Cyclone Rainfall & River Flooding • In addition to high winds & storm surge, all tropical storms can produce torrential rains causing massive flooding & trigger landslides and debris floods • Catastrophic flash flooding may occur as a result of intense rainfall over a relatively short duration. Longer duration storms, say a few days, can be equally devastating. 2 River flooding associated with heavy rainfall from tropical cyclones Flood stages & inundation maps • Rain-triggered flooding is not confined to coastal areas. The reach of a large tropical storm can cause flooding well inland, especially along the estuaries. • Beneficial contributions of tropical cyclones: rainfall for needed water supply in the region; and maintenance of global heat balance 5 Cases of landfalling of catastrophic tropical cyclones • Hurricane Andrew , August 24, 1993- Florida • Hurricane Allison , June 5-9, 2001- Houston and TX and LA coasts • Hurricane Katrina , Aug 29, 2005- New Orleans & LA and TX coasts • Hurricane Mitch , Oct 26- Nov 5, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala • Typhoon Morakot , August 3-10, 2009, Taiwan • Typhoon Ketsana , Sept 23-30, 2009, Manila, Philippine , Vietnam & Cambodia 6 Hurricane Andrew (Aug24,1993) 7 Hurricane Andrew (Aug24,1993) Source: Report on Hurricane Andrew Storm Summary & Impacts on Florida Beaches, by USACE & Florida DNR, May 1993 Pressure zones, wind zones and storm surge contour 9 Surge at landfall & waves height Storm surges Wave Heights 10 Impact of gusts on homes 11 Impacts on beaches of Florida 12 Erosion and accretion of beach profiles 13 Hurricane Allison, June 5-9, 2001 * Hurricane Allison’s swath of rainfall – 25-50 cm or more rainfall in coastal TX & LA for nearly 6 days.
    [Show full text]
  • Observed Hurricane Wind Speed Asymmetries and Relationships to Motion and Environmental Shear
    1290 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW VOLUME 142 Observed Hurricane Wind Speed Asymmetries and Relationships to Motion and Environmental Shear ERIC W. UHLHORN NOAA/AOML/Hurricane Research Division, Miami, Florida BRADLEY W. KLOTZ Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida TOMISLAVA VUKICEVIC,PAUL D. REASOR, AND ROBERT F. ROGERS NOAA/AOML/Hurricane Research Division, Miami, Florida (Manuscript received 6 June 2013, in final form 19 November 2013) ABSTRACT Wavenumber-1 wind speed asymmetries in 35 hurricanes are quantified in terms of their amplitude and phase, based on aircraft observations from 128 individual flights between 1998 and 2011. The impacts of motion and 850–200-mb environmental vertical shear are examined separately to estimate the resulting asymmetric structures at the sea surface and standard 700-mb reconnaissance flight level. The surface asymmetry amplitude is on average around 50% smaller than found at flight level, and while the asymmetry amplitude grows in proportion to storm translation speed at the flight level, no significant growth at the surface is observed, contrary to conventional assumption. However, a significant upwind storm-motion- relative phase rotation is found at the surface as translation speed increases, while the flight-level phase remains fairly constant. After removing the estimated impact of storm motion on the asymmetry, a significant residual shear direction-relative asymmetry is found, particularly at the surface, and, on average, is located downshear to the left of shear. Furthermore, the shear-relative phase has a significant downwind rotation as shear magnitude increases, such that the maximum rotates from the downshear to left-of-shear azimuthal location.
    [Show full text]
  • Resilience Potential: Assessing Jamaica's “Bounce-Back” from Hurricane Dean
    Resilience Potential: Assessing Jamaica’s “Bounce-Back” from Hurricane Dean CaPRI is a Caribbean think tank that promotes evidence- based policymaking in the region. CaPRI espouses a methodology which is built on the values of multi- disciplinary work, team work and the utilization of the diaspora in our search for evidence. Committed to the region’s development, CaPRI has strong linkages with the academic community, the private sector and civil society. For information and feedback, please contact: Caribbean Policy Research Institute GUANGO TREE HOUSE, 29 MUNROE ROAD, KINGSTON 6 JAMAICA, W.I. TEL: (876) 970-3447 (876) 970-2910 FAX: (876) 970-4544 E-mail: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://www.takingresponsibility.org 2 Table of Contents Pages List of Figures, Tables and Boxes .............................................................4 Preface......................................................................................................5 Executive Summary .................................................................................6-7 Introduction: Resilience Potential ...........................................................8-9 1. Natural Disasters: The Global Context................................................10-13 2. Natural Disasters in the Caribbean .....................................................14-18 3. Changing Practices in Disaster Management…………………………19-20 4. Disaster Management in Jamaica .....................................................21 4.1 National Disaster Plan…………………………………………….21
    [Show full text]
  • Hurricane Andrew and Insurance: the Enduring Impact of An
    HURRICANE ANDREW AND INSURANCE: THE ENDURING IMPACT OF AN HISTORIC STORM AUGUST 2012 Lynne McChristian Florida Representative, Insurance Information Institute (813) 480-6446 [email protected] Florida Office: Insurance Information Institute, 4775 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617 INTRODUCTION Hurricane Andrew hit Florida on August 24, 1992, and the tumult for the property insurance market there has not ceased in the 20 years since. Andrew was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history in terms of insurance payouts to people whose homes, vehicles and businesses were damaged by the storm when it struck Florida and Louisiana in 1992. The insurance claims payout totaled $15.5 billion at the time ($25 billion in 2011 dollars). Even today, the storm is the second costliest natural disaster; Hurricane Katrina, which hit in 2005, is the most costly natural disaster. But the cost is only part of Andrew’s legacy. It also revealed that Florida’s vulnerability to hurricanes had been seriously underestimated. That reality was not lost on other coastal states nor on the insurance industry, which reassessed their exposure to catastrophic storm damage in the aftermath of Andrew. The event brought a harsh awakening and forced individuals, insurers, legislators, insurance regulators and state governments to come to grips with the necessity of preparing both financially and physically for unprecedented natural disasters. Many of the insurance market changes that have occurred nationally over the last two decades can be traced to the wakeup call delivered by Hurricane Andrew. These include: . More carefully managed coastal exposure. Larger role of government in insuring coastal risks.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigation and Prediction of Hurricane Eyewall
    INVESTIGATION AND PREDICTION OF HURRICANE EYEWALL REPLACEMENT CYCLES By Matthew Sitkowski A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences) at the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON 2012 Date of final oral examination: 4/9/12 The dissertation is approved by the following members of the Final Oral Committee: James P. Kossin, Affiliate Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Daniel J. Vimont, Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Steven A. Ackerman, Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Jonathan E. Martin, Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Gregory J. Tripoli, Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences i Abstract Flight-level aircraft data and microwave imagery are analyzed to investigate hurricane secondary eyewall formation and eyewall replacement cycles (ERCs). This work is motivated to provide forecasters with new guidance for predicting and better understanding the impacts of ERCs. A Bayesian probabilistic model that determines the likelihood of secondary eyewall formation and a subsequent ERC is developed. The model is based on environmental and geostationary satellite features. A climatology of secondary eyewall formation is developed; a 13% chance of secondary eyewall formation exists when a hurricane is located over water, and is also utilized by the model. The model has been installed at the National Hurricane Center and has skill in forecasting secondary eyewall formation out to 48 h. Aircraft reconnaissance data from 24 ERCs are examined to develop a climatology of flight-level structure and intensity changes associated with ERCs. Three phases are identified based on the behavior of the maximum intensity of the hurricane: intensification, weakening and reintensification.
    [Show full text]
  • Long-Term Development in Post-Disaster Intentional Communities in Honduras
    From Tragedy to Opportunity: Long-term Development in Post-Disaster Intentional Communities in Honduras A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Ryan Chelese Alaniz IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Ronald Aminzade June 2012 © Ryan Alaniz 2012 Acknowledgements Like all manuscripts of this length it took the patience, love, and encouragement of dozens of people and organizations. I would like to thank my parents for their support, numerous friends who provided feedback in informal conversations, my amazing editor and partner Jenny, my survey team, and the residents of Nueva Esperanza, La Joya, San Miguel Arcangel, Villa El Porvenir, La Roca, and especially Ciudad España and Divina for their openness in sharing their lives and experiences. Finally, I would like to thank Doug Hartmann, Pat McNamara, David Pellow, and Ross MacMillan for their generosity of time and wisdom. Most importantly I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor, Ron, who is an inspiration personally and professionally. I would also like to thank the following organizations and fellowship sponsors for their financial support: the University of Minnesota and the Department of Sociology, the Social Science Research Council, Fulbright, the Bilinski Foundation, the Public Entity Risk Institute, and the Diversity of Views and Experiences (DOVE) Fellowship. i Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to all those who have been displaced by a disaster and have struggled/continue to struggle to rebuild their lives. It is also dedicated to my son, Santiago. May you grow up with a desire to serve the most vulnerable.
    [Show full text]
  • UB Powerpoint Template
    converge.colorado.edu CONVERGE ethical, coordinated, and scientifically rigorous social science, engineering, and interdisciplinary extreme events research Lori Peek Principal Investigator, CONVERGE, SSEER, and ISEEER Director, Natural Hazards Center Professor, Department of Sociology University of Colorado Boulder Session 2: Collecting, Managing, and Archiving Social and Behavioral Science Data Describe opportunities for identifying and coordinating social science researchers so that we can best share information and publish our data as well as data collection protocols using DOIs, repositories, etc. Discuss some of the overarching challenges and concerns with sharing social science data, such as privacy, data management plans and related IRB policies, duplication vs. replication, etc. converge.colorado.edu 4 Things converge.colorado.edu 1. NSF has funded the CONVERGE initiative converge.colorado.edu Why CONVERGE? Why CONVERGE? • identify and coordinate researchers and research teams; • advance hazards and disaster research; • encourage the publication of data and data collection instruments and protocols (DesignSafe Cyberinfrastructure + CONVERGE). • support and accelerate training and mentoring; • fund virtual reconnaissance, field research, and the development of novel research instruments and data collection protocols; • accelerate the development of mobile applications for social science data collection (NHERI RAPID); Why CONVERGE? 2. NSF Supports Extreme Events Research (EER) Networks converge.colorado.edu Why the EER’s? Disciplinary
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Disaster Assistance After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Gustav, and Ike
    Federal Disaster Assistance After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Gustav, and Ike Updated February 26, 2019 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R43139 Federal Disaster Assistance After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Gustav, and Ike Summary This report provides information on federal financial assistance provided to the Gulf States after major disasters were declared in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in response to the widespread destruction that resulted from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 2005 and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. Though the storms happened over a decade ago, Congress has remained interested in the types and amounts of federal assistance that were provided to the Gulf Coast for several reasons. This includes how the money has been spent, what resources have been provided to the region, and whether the money has reached the intended people and entities. The financial information is also useful for congressional oversight of the federal programs provided in response to the storms. It gives Congress a general idea of the federal assets that are needed and can be brought to bear when catastrophic disasters take place in the United States. Finally, the financial information from the storms can help frame the congressional debate concerning federal assistance for current and future disasters. The financial information for the 2005 and 2008 Gulf Coast storms is provided in two sections of this report: 1. Table 1 of Section I summarizes disaster assistance supplemental appropriations enacted into public law primarily for the needs associated with the five hurricanes, with the information categorized by federal department and agency; and 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Hurricane & Tropical Storm
    5.8 HURRICANE & TROPICAL STORM SECTION 5.8 HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM 5.8.1 HAZARD DESCRIPTION A tropical cyclone is a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or sub-tropical waters and has a closed low-level circulation. Tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes are all considered tropical cyclones. These storms rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere around the center and are accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds (NOAA, 2013). Almost all tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic basin (which includes the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea) form between June 1 and November 30 (hurricane season). August and September are peak months for hurricane development. The average wind speeds for tropical storms and hurricanes are listed below: . A tropical depression has a maximum sustained wind speeds of 38 miles per hour (mph) or less . A tropical storm has maximum sustained wind speeds of 39 to 73 mph . A hurricane has maximum sustained wind speeds of 74 mph or higher. In the western North Pacific, hurricanes are called typhoons; similar storms in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean are called cyclones. A major hurricane has maximum sustained wind speeds of 111 mph or higher (NOAA, 2013). Over a two-year period, the United States coastline is struck by an average of three hurricanes, one of which is classified as a major hurricane. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions may pose a threat to life and property. These storms bring heavy rain, storm surge and flooding (NOAA, 2013). The cooler waters off the coast of New Jersey can serve to diminish the energy of storms that have traveled up the eastern seaboard.
    [Show full text]
  • ANNUAL SUMMARY Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2005
    MARCH 2008 ANNUAL SUMMARY 1109 ANNUAL SUMMARY Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2005 JOHN L. BEVEN II, LIXION A. AVILA,ERIC S. BLAKE,DANIEL P. BROWN,JAMES L. FRANKLIN, RICHARD D. KNABB,RICHARD J. PASCH,JAMIE R. RHOME, AND STACY R. STEWART Tropical Prediction Center, NOAA/NWS/National Hurricane Center, Miami, Florida (Manuscript received 2 November 2006, in final form 30 April 2007) ABSTRACT The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active of record. Twenty-eight storms occurred, includ- ing 27 tropical storms and one subtropical storm. Fifteen of the storms became hurricanes, and seven of these became major hurricanes. Additionally, there were two tropical depressions and one subtropical depression. Numerous records for single-season activity were set, including most storms, most hurricanes, and highest accumulated cyclone energy index. Five hurricanes and two tropical storms made landfall in the United States, including four major hurricanes. Eight other cyclones made landfall elsewhere in the basin, and five systems that did not make landfall nonetheless impacted land areas. The 2005 storms directly caused nearly 1700 deaths. This includes approximately 1500 in the United States from Hurricane Katrina— the deadliest U.S. hurricane since 1928. The storms also caused well over $100 billion in damages in the United States alone, making 2005 the costliest hurricane season of record. 1. Introduction intervals for all tropical and subtropical cyclones with intensities of 34 kt or greater; Bell et al. 2000), the 2005 By almost all standards of measure, the 2005 Atlantic season had a record value of about 256% of the long- hurricane season was the most active of record.
    [Show full text]
  • Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
    FLORIDA HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS 1871-1995: An Historical Survey Fred Doehring, Iver W. Duedall, and John M. Williams '+wcCopy~~ I~BN 0-912747-08-0 Florida SeaGrant College is supported by award of the Office of Sea Grant, NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce,grant number NA 36RG-0070, under provisions of the NationalSea Grant College and Programs Act of 1966. This information is published by the Sea Grant Extension Program which functionsas a coinponentof the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, John T. Woeste, Dean, in conducting Cooperative Extensionwork in Agriculture, Home Economics, and Marine Sciences,State of Florida, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, U.S. Departmentof Commerce, and Boards of County Commissioners, cooperating.Printed and distributed in furtherance af the Actsof Congressof May 8 andJune 14, 1914.The Florida Sea Grant Collegeis an Equal Opportunity-AffirmativeAction employer authorizedto provide research, educational information and other servicesonly to individuals and institutions that function without regardto race,color, sex, age,handicap or nationalorigin. Coverphoto: Hank Brandli & Rob Downey LOANCOPY ONLY Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms 1871-1995: An Historical survey Fred Doehring, Iver W. Duedall, and John M. Williams Division of Marine and Environmental Systems, Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL 32901 Technical Paper - 71 June 1994 $5.00 Copies may be obtained from: Florida Sea Grant College Program University of Florida Building 803 P.O. Box 110409 Gainesville, FL 32611-0409 904-392-2801 II Our friend andcolleague, Fred Doehringpictured below, died on January 5, 1993, before this manuscript was completed. Until his death, Fred had spent the last 18 months painstakingly researchingdata for this book.
    [Show full text]
  • Storm Modification Although Experts in the Meteorological Field Aren’T Enthusiastic About These Ideas Due to the Inconclusive Results from Project Stormfury
    Solving Today’s Hurricane Problem Through Modification Submitted by: Greg Machos Webmaster/Owner www.hurricaneville.com Submitted to: Dr. Stephan Nelson Director of Atmospheric Science National Science Foundation Room 775 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22230 April 27, 2001 Final Proposal for Business and Professional Writing If found, please return to: Mark Waren Department of English Murray Hall, Room 032 College Avenue Campus, Rutgers University i ABSTRACT This proposal is for a research study that will attempt to combine the best elements of both the federal government and private industry projects on hurricane intensification and modification. There will be a difference in the way a hurricane will be attacked. Rather than trying to attack it through seeding its inner core, this proposal will try to use wind shear at the upper levels to destroy the storm’s vertical structure. Past research has shown that work in this area of study has had positive impacts on hurricane forecasting that ultimately saved lives. Furthermore, technology has improved significantly over the last twenty years and with the tremendous strides made in weather forecasting over the past century, now may be a great time to revisit this kind of research again. Coastal communities in the eastern half of the United States as well as many underdeveloped countries in the Caribbean and Central America are more vulnerable than ever to a major hurricane like Hurricane Andrew in 1992 or Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Hurricane Andrew caused approximately $27 billion dollars in damage after making landfall in South Florida while Hurricane Mitch left an estimated 11,000 people dead from heavy rains over a period of several days.
    [Show full text]