1. Hurricane Case Studies

2. Outline North Atlantic Caribbean Gulf of Mexico Atlantic Coast Pacific Bangladesh

3. North Atlantic-Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico ~4-20 tropical storms/hurricanes each year Tend to form in late summer (highest sea temps) # hurricanes 1931-1980

4. North Atlantic-Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico

5. 2 main locations for origin –Western Africa (Cape Verde type) –Caribbean sea

6. Cape Verde Type Start at low pressure systems in western Africa, hit warm water off coast

7. Cape Verde Type Strengthen over warm water, move W/NW because of trade winds, Coriolis force Bermuda High: commonly observed pressure system affects path –Small: storms go north –Big: can push storms into Florida, up East Coast

9. Example: Andrew 1992 Most destructive (costly) in U.S. history –$30 billion damage 3rd strongest in 20th century

10. Andrew 1992 Hit S. Florida first –33 dead –80,000 buildings destroyed –Trees, cars demolished Moved into Gulf of Mexico –Picked up strength with warm water –Hit LA 15 dead, significant environmental impacts –Heavy rain in MS

11. Time lapse satellite image over 3 days of Andrew moving west to east Radar image at landfall

13. Caribbean Sea Form in very warm water Convergence zone of trade winds at equator –Important because convergence means low pressure, tropical depression can form

14. Example: Mitch 1998

15. Mitch 1998 Began in Caribbean Sea Formed quickly to Category 5 hurricane –Stayed that way for 33 hours Headed towards Central America, but stalled –Stayed offshore for 2 days, weakened –Good: didn’t hit coast of Honduras with full force –Bad: dumped 2-6 ft of rain

16. Results of Mitch 1998 Honduras –6500 fatalities –20% population homeless –60% roads/bridges destroyed Nicaragua –3800 fatalities –Lahars from flooding of volcanic lake Moved out to Gulf, hit S. Florida on to north of England Total: 11,000 fatalities

17. Flooding and road damage in Nicaragua

18. Gulf of Mexico Hurricanes Along coast: low elevation land Along TX coastline, almost 6000 mi 2 is less than 20 ft above sea level Significant problem for storm surges

20. Galveston, 1900 Deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history Town on low-lying island in front of bay Category 4 storm hit; flooded island several ft Storm waves, wind destroyed 3600 buildings Bridges washed out Over 7000 fatalities (roughly 1 in 6 residents)

22. Atlantic Coast - Hugo 1989 Category 4 storm 17 ft surge in Ft. Sumter, SC Moved into NC, WV, OH, PA, NY, Canada as rain Only 11 fatalities

24. 2004 Events 15 tropical storms in North Atlantic during the 2004 hurricane season. –Nine of these became hurricanes six becoming major hurricanes (Category 3+) Ivan strongest (Category 5)

25. 2004 Storms http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/hurricanes/ interactive/hurricane.paths/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/hurricanes/ interactive/hurricane.paths/index.html 2004 was predicted to be an “active” season with 12-15 tropical storms FEMA distributed a record $4.85 billion in hurricane relief in 2004 4 hurricanes hit Florida, a record for the state 1 in 5 homes in Florida damaged 117 fatalities in FL alone

26. Hurricane Charley Landfall near Ft. Myers, FL as Cat. 4 storm on Aug 13th 16 fatalties, 2 million lost power Damage likely ~$10 billion Made 2nd landfall along S.Carolina Maintained tropical storm force winds through New England (few inches of rain there)

27. Charley

28. Hurricane Frances Reached Cat. 4 status over Bahamas (Aug 28) Hit east coast of Florida as Cat. 2 (Sept5), traveled over state, made 2nd landfall on panhandle as tropical storm Traveled north, dropping heavy rains –Quebec got over 8 inches of rain! –Also spawned 117 tornadoes –23 fatalities

30. Hurricane Frances

31. Hurricane Ivan Category 5 storm over Grenada, Cayman Islands (Sept 7-9) Landfall as Cat. 3 in Alabama Wacky path - went northeast, then back southwest to cross Florida, Gulf of Mexico on Sept 21 (strengthened back to tropical storm), 2nd landfall in LA on 24th Significant rain, flooding (U.S. deaths ~50, more across the Caribbean)

32. Hurricane Ivan

33. Hurricane Jeanne Formed on Sept. 13, weakened by Sept. 18th, strengthened by 19th and headed out to sea, turned back towards U.S. by 24th Significant fatalities in Haiti (over 3000) from flooding and mudslides Landfall in U.S. in FL as Cat. 3 on Sept 26th (almost same location as Frances) Tracked into mid-Atlantic states Flooding, 10 fatalities in US

35. Pacific Coast ~15% of events form in Pacific offshore Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador Less hit land than Atlantic hurricanes –Why? Trade winds push westward, away from land Colder water in Pacific reduces potential (California current brings cold water from Alaska)

36. Pauline, 1997 Category 4 storm Main problem: rain caused flooding and debris flows

37. Iniki, 1992 Category 4 storm hit Kauai, HI Significant building damage $2 billion

38. Bangladesh Cyclones in this area: Most deadly events Densely populated area on low-lying deltas –35% of country is < 20 ft elevation –In average year, 20% is flooded Cyclones are common –~5/year

40. Bangladesh 1970 ~category 5 storm 400,000 fatalities 1991 140,000 fatalities, 10 million homeless Population expected to double in next 30 years!

41. Next Time Coastal Hazards