1989 Hurricane Hugo - September 1989
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Climatology, Variability, and Return Periods of Tropical Cyclone Strikes in the Northeastern and Central Pacific Ab Sins Nicholas S
Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Master's Theses Graduate School March 2019 Climatology, Variability, and Return Periods of Tropical Cyclone Strikes in the Northeastern and Central Pacific aB sins Nicholas S. Grondin Louisiana State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses Part of the Climate Commons, Meteorology Commons, and the Physical and Environmental Geography Commons Recommended Citation Grondin, Nicholas S., "Climatology, Variability, and Return Periods of Tropical Cyclone Strikes in the Northeastern and Central Pacific asinB s" (2019). LSU Master's Theses. 4864. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/4864 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Master's Theses by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CLIMATOLOGY, VARIABILITY, AND RETURN PERIODS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE STRIKES IN THE NORTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC BASINS A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in The Department of Geography and Anthropology by Nicholas S. Grondin B.S. Meteorology, University of South Alabama, 2016 May 2019 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my family, especially mom, Mim and Pop, for their love and encouragement every step of the way. This thesis is dedicated to my friends and fraternity brothers, especially Dillon, Sarah, Clay, and Courtney, for their friendship and support. This thesis is dedicated to all of my teachers and college professors, especially Mrs. -
Storm Tide Simulations for Hurricane Hugo (1989): on the Significance of Including Inland Flooding Areas
STORM TIDE SIMULATIONS FOR HURRICANE HUGO (1989): ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INCLUDING INLAND FLOODING AREAS by DANIEL DIETSCHE B.S. Basle Institute of Technology, Switzerland, 1993 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Summer Term 2004 ABSTRACT In this study, storm tides are simulated by performing a hindcast of water surface levels produced by Hurricane Hugo (1989). The region of interest incorporates inundation areas between Charleston and Shallotte Inlet (120 miles northeast of Charleston) and includes Bulls Bay where the highest storm surge of about 20 feet occurred. The study domain also contains an important riverine system which is connected to the Winyah Bay: the Waccamaw River up to Conway including all pertinent tributaries (Sampit River, Black River, and Pee Dee River), and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIW) within the Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach). Five different two-dimensional finite element models with triangular elements are applied in order to simulate the storm tides, allow for inundation, and provide a basis of comparison to assess the significance of including inundation areas and two extents of spatial discretization. Four computational regions comprise a semicircular mesh encompassing the South Carolina coast including all relevant estuaries and bays as well as the continental shelf. Two of these four computational regions include inland topography allowing the model to simulate inland flooding. One of the floodplain meshes is then incorporated into the Western North Atlantic Tidal (WNAT) model domain to produce a fifth computational region. -
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. -
Hurricane Marãa Tripled Stem Breaks and Doubled Tree Mortality Relative
ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09319-2 OPEN Hurricane María tripled stem breaks and doubled tree mortality relative to other major storms María Uriarte 1, Jill Thompson2 & Jess K. Zimmerman3 Tropical cyclones are expected to intensify under a warming climate, with uncertain effects on tropical forests. One key challenge to predicting how more intense storms will influence these ecosystems is to attribute impacts specifically to storm meteorology rather than dif- 1234567890():,; ferences in forest characteristics. Here we compare tree damage data collected in the same forest in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Hugo (1989, category 3), Georges (1998, category 3), and María (2017, category 4). María killed twice as many trees as Hugo, and for all but two species, broke 2- to 12-fold more stems than the other two storms. Species with high density wood were resistant to uprooting, hurricane-induced mortality, and were protected from breakage during Hugo but not María. Tree inventories and a wind exposure model allow us to attribute these differences in impacts to storm meteorology. A better understanding of risk factors associated with tree species susceptibility to severe storms is key to predicting the future of forest ecosystems under climate warming. 1 Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA. 2 Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK. 3 Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00925, USA. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to M.U. (email: [email protected]) NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | (2019) 10:1362 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09319-2 | www.nature.com/naturecommunications 1 ARTICLE NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09319-2 yclonic storms (hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons) exposure to wind or the structure and composition of forests at Crepresent the dominant natural disturbance in coastal the time the storm struck. -
Hurricane Andrew in Florida: Dynamics of a Disaster ^
Hurricane Andrew in Florida: Dynamics of a Disaster ^ H. E. Willoughby and P. G. Black Hurricane Research Division, AOML/NOAA, Miami, Florida ABSTRACT Four meteorological factors aggravated the devastation when Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida: completed replacement of the original eyewall by an outer, concentric eyewall while Andrew was still at sea; storm translation so fast that the eye crossed the populated coastline before the influence of land could weaken it appreciably; extreme wind speed, 82 m s_1 winds measured by aircraft flying at 2.5 km; and formation of an intense, but nontornadic, convective vortex in the eyewall at the time of landfall. Although Andrew weakened for 12 h during the eyewall replacement, it contained vigorous convection and was reintensifying rapidly as it passed onshore. The Gulf Stream just offshore was warm enough to support a sea level pressure 20-30 hPa lower than the 922 hPa attained, but Andrew hit land before it could reach this potential. The difficult-to-predict mesoscale and vortex-scale phenomena determined the course of events on that windy morning, not a long-term trend toward worse hurricanes. 1. Introduction might have been a harbinger of more devastating hur- ricanes on a warmer globe (e.g., Fisher 1994). Here When Hurricane Andrew smashed into South we interpret Andrew's progress to show that the ori- Florida on 24 August 1992, it was the third most in- gins of the disaster were too complicated to be ex- tense hurricane to cross the United States coastline in plained by thermodynamics alone. the 125-year quantitative climatology. -
NCAR Annual Scientific Report Fiscal Year 1985 - Link Page Next PART0002
National Center for Atmospheric Research Annual Scientific Report Fiscal Year 1985 Submitted to National Science Foundation by University Corporation for Atmospheric Research March 1986 iii CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............... ............................................. v ATMOSPHERIC ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION DIVISION ............... 1 Significant Accomplishments........................ 1 AAP Division Office................................................ 4 Mesoscale Research Section . ........................................ 8 Climate Section........................................ 15 Large-Scale Dynamics Section....................................... 22 Oceanography Section. .......................... 28 ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY DIVISION................................. .. 37 Significant Accompl i shments........................................ 38 Precipitation Chemistry, Reactive Gases, and Aerosols Section. ..................................39 Atmospheric Gas Measurements Section............................... 46 Global Observations, Modeling, and Optical Techniques Section.............................. 52 Support Section.................................................... 57 Di rector' s Office. * . ...... .......... .. .. ** 58 HIGH ALTITUDE OBSERVATORYY .. .................. ............... 63 Significant Accomplishments .......... .............................. 63 Coronal/Interplanetary Physics Section ....................... 64 Solar Variability and Terrestrial Interactions Section........................................... 72 Solar -
Learning from Hurricane Hugo: Implications for Public Policy
LEARNING FROM HURRICANE HUGO: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC POLICY prepared for the FEDERAL INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 500 C Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20472 under contract no. EMW-90-G-3304,A001 June 1992 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................... 1.............I PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STORM . 3 Wind Speeds .3 IMPACTS ON NATURAL SYSTEMS 5 ................................ Biological Systems ....... .................................5 Dunes and Beaches ....... .5............................... Beach Nourishment . .................................7 IMPACTS ON HUMANS AND HUMAN SYSTEMS ............................ 9 Deaths and Injuries ............................ 9 Housing ............................ 9 Utilities ................... 10 Transportation Systems .1................... 10 The Economy ................... 11 Psychological Effects ................... 11 INSURANCE .......................... 13 COASTAL DEVELOPMENT .......................... 14 Setbacks ........................... 15 Coastal Protection Structures .......................... 16 PERFORMANCE OF STRUCTURES ..... .... 18 Effects of Wind and/or Water ...... .... 18 Effects of Water, Waves, or Erosion . .. .18 Effects of Wind .............. .... 19 Foundations .................. .... 21 Slabs ................ .... 22 Piers and Columns ....... .... 22 Pilings............... .... 22 Elevation .................. .... 23 Lower Area Enclosures .... .... 23 Connections ................. ....24 Manufactured Housing .......... .... 24 -
Assessing Natural and Mechanical Dune Performance in a Post-Hurricane Environment
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering Article Assessing Natural and Mechanical Dune Performance in a Post-Hurricane Environment Jean T. Ellis * and Mayra A. Román-Rivera Department of Geography, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 1 April 2019; Accepted: 29 April 2019; Published: 2 May 2019 Abstract: The purpose of this study is to document the geomorphic evolution of a mechanical dune over approximately one year following its installation and compare it to the recovery of a natural dune following the impact of Hurricane Matthew (2016). During the study period, the dunes’ integrity was tested by wave and wind events, including king tides, and a second hurricane (Irma, 2017), at the end of the study period. Prior to the impact of the second hurricane, the volumetric increase of the mechanical and natural dune was 32% and 75%, respectively, suggesting that scraping alone is not the optimal protection method. If scraping is employed, we advocate that the dune should be augmented by planting. Ideally, the storm-impacted dune should naturally recover. Post-storm vegetation regrowth was lower around the mechanical dune, which encouraged aeolian transport and dune deflation. Hurricane Irma, an extreme forcing event, substantially impacted the dunes. The natural dune was scarped and the mechanical dune was overtopped; the system was essentially left homogeneous following the hurricane. The results from this study question the current practice of sand scraping along the South Carolina coast, which occurs post-storm, emplacement along the former primary dune line, and does not include the planting of vegetation. -
Hurricane Sandy: an Educational Bibliography of Key Research Studies
HURRICANE SANDY: AN EDUCATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF KEY RESEARCH STUDIES Chris Piotrowski University of West Florida (Research Project Completed on April 10, 2013) HURRICANE SANDY: AN EDUCATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF KEY RESEARCH STUDIES ABSTRACT There, undoubtedly, will be a flurry of research activity in the ‘Superstorm’ Sandy impact area on a myriad of disaster-related topics, across academic disciplines. The purpose of this study was to review the disaster research related specifically to hurricanes in the educational and social sciences that would best serve as a compendium bibliography for researchers, academic faculty, and policymakers in the Hurricane Sandy impact area. To that end, this study, based on a content analysis procedure, identified key articles on hurricanes based on the extant literature indexed in the database PsycINFO. Of the 1,408 references identified, 1000 were scholarly qualitative and quantitative research articles. The author developed a bibliography of 100 key citations to articles, categorized across select topical areas, based on issues central to investigatory efforts following natural disasters. Future research should recommend research designs that address specific concerns of both researchers and policymakers in high-impact, heavily populated areas of the U.S. susceptible to major tropical storm or hurricane damage. Introduction The field of disaster studies has grown at an exponential pace over the past 30 years and, accordingly, the knowledge base of the field is presently quite voluminous (Rodriguez et al., 2007)). While investigations on the impacts of natural disasters in the areas of climate science and the general sciences have a long history, research on the human impact of hurricanes is a more recent phenomenon in the social sciences. -
Trabing Commons Library Res
Analysis of Hurricanes Using Long-Range Lightning Detection Networks BENJAMIN TRABING University of Oklahoma/NSSL, Norman, OK JOHN A. KNAFF NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Fort Collins, CO ANDREA SCHUMACHER AND KATE MUSGRAVE CIRA/ Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO MARK DEMARIA NWS/National Hurricane Center, Miami, FL * Corresponding Author: Benjamin Trabing, University of Oklahoma/NSSL, 120 David L. Boren Blvd., Suite 5900, Norman, OK 73072, [email protected] Abstract The new GOES-R satellite will be equipped with the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) that will provide unprecedented total lightning data with the potential to improve hurricane intensity forecasts. Past studies have provided conflicting interpretations of the role that lightning plays in forecasting tropical cyclone (TC) intensity changes. With the goal of improving the usefulness of total lightning, detailed case studies were conducted of five TCs that underwent rapid intensification (RI) within the domains of two unique ground-based long-range lightning detection networks, the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) and Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN). This analysis will provide greater details of the distribution of lightning within predefined storm features to highlight specific phenomena that large statistical studies cannot resolve. Both WWLLN and ENTLN datasets showed similar spatial and temporal patterns in lightning that validates the independent use of either network for analysis. For the cases examined, a maxima in eyewall lightning was located downshear and in the front-right quadrants relative to storm motion. Results show that RI follows a burst of lightning in the eyewall when coinciding with a period of little environmental vertical shear. -
What Happened? Irma and Maria -- the Back-To-Back Category 5 Hurricanes of September 2017 in the US Virgin Islands
What Happened? Irma and Maria -- the back-to-back Category 5 Hurricanes of September 2017 in the US Virgin Islands OCEAN AND COASTAL OBSERVING – VIRGIN ISLANDS, INC. (OCOVI) WWW.OCOVI.ORG Two weeks apart, hurricanes Irma (September 6th) and Maria (September 20th) followed paths that sandwiched the Virgin Islands. Both remained Category 5 storms as they transited the VI region. Irma set a record of ~ 3¼ days in Category 5. What makes our region particularly prone to tropical storms or hurricanes? Abundant warm ocean water, Temperature ≥ 80◦F (26.5◦C) --the ocean water’s heat provides the energy for convection which creates storms; Start-up moisture and spin from pre-existing systems (e.g., waves coming from the African continent); Favorable distance from the equator in order to maximize the spin (Latitude > 4◦ is necessary to maintain the necessary spin; the VI is located around 18◦ N); Remoteness from competing continental systems which can deplete atmospheric moisture; Remoteness from sources of wind shear; Wind shear disrupts Minimal land surface (less debilitating friction, less convection deprivation of moisture). columns Who are we? Where are we? Hurricanes since 1851 Significant quote Alexander Hamilton describing the 1772 hurricane on St. Croix in the Royal Danish American Gazette, August 31,1772: … Good God! what horror and destruction—it's impossible for me to describe—or you to form any idea of it…. A great part of the buildings throughout the Island are levelled to the ground—almost all the rest very much shattered—several persons killed and numbers utterly ruined …our harbour is entirely bare…”. -
Getting Ready for the Next Storm By: Shanti Menon
SPECIAL REPORT FALL 2020 Prepared for EDF Members Getting ready for the next storm By: Shanti Menon Attorney Agustín Carbó survived Hurricane Maria and the devastating blackout that followed. Now he’s working to build a stormproof energy system for Puerto Rico. Three years have passed since Hurricane Maria tore into Puerto Rico, uprooting trees, utility poles and cellphone towers; flooding homes; and plunging the entire island into darkness. The storm destroyed the island’s fragile electric grid, battered two weeks earlier by Hurricane Irma. Without access to power, clean water, refrigeration and health care, an estimated 3,000 people died. Some remained without power for nearly a year. Today, Puerto Rico’s grid is still unstable, and thousands of families endured this hurricane season with nothing over their heads but tattered blue FEMA tarps installed after Maria tore off their roofs in 2017. It’s only a matter of time before the next big storm hits. Puerto Rico lies in Hurricane Alley, a system of warm Atlantic waters that fuels hurricanes, now supercharged by climate change. Agustín Carbó, a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency attorney, Puerto Rico’s first energy commissioner and founder of a U.S.-Latin American climate think tank, lived through the tragedy of Hurricane Maria and is now leading EDF’s work on energy policy reform in his native island. “I have a responsibility on my shoulders to make sure what we do is helping the people,” he says. “We have been through so much.” It took nearly a year to fully restore electric service after Hurricane Maria.