A Comprehensive Database Of Storm Surge Data For Use In Coastal Hazards Research And Storm Surge Model Calibration Andrew Maloof 1 Rochelle Legaspi 1 Rob.

A Comprehensive Database Of Storm Surge Data For Use In Coastal Hazards Research And Storm

Surge Model Calibration

Andrew Maloof1

Rochelle Legaspi1

Rob Young2

Dave Bush1

1University of West Georgia2Western Carolina University

Storm Surge: The Signature of a hurricane

• An accurate record of storm surge is vital to a thorough understanding of the impacts of a passing or landfalling hurricane.

• Timing of hurricane landfall with astronomical tides can raise or lower the storm high-water level.

• It is unfortunate that there are so many gaps in the data, or that information is difficult to find.

Storm Surge

• Storm physical characteristics• Movement of the storm• Shape of the shoreline

Gilbert, 1988, Yucatán north coast

water line

This house is over 500 meters from the water. Indoor water marks are the best indicators of high water levels.

Hugo, 1989, Pawleys Island, SC

Surge floated houses from foundations; most of the front row is gone.

Hugo, 1989, Garden City, SC

Floated houses, sand overwash, older homes built before building codes.

Emily, 1993, Cape Hatteras, NC

Offshore blowing winds created debris line on the back of the islands.

debris line is surge level

Hugo, 1989, Puerto Rico

Sand washover along the Piones shoreline (east of San Juan) after Hurricane Hugo. An estimated 500,000 cubic meters of sand was washed ashore along this stretch.

Opal, 1995, Florida Panhandle

Surge allowed waves to directly attack and destroy first story of motel.

Temporary rise is sea level resulting from storm processes: Wind, waves, barometric effect

Terminology

• Storm surge—water above normal astronomical tide

• High water level—maximum still water height reached during storm

• Storm tide—NOAA term for high water level

stor

m s

urge

high water level

tide level

Observed (high water level) Observed (high water level) - Predicted water level (tides)Predicted water level (tides)

= Storm Surge = Storm Surge

Storm-surge levels along South Carolina coast (from FEMA). Storm-surge levels along South Carolina coast (from FEMA).

Eye at landfall Radius of maximum winds

Charleston

Hurricane Hugo (1989), South Carolina, Storm Surge Profile

Storm Surge-Ebb

Storm surge water rushes back to sea after the hurricane passes, often causing much damage

Hurricane Ivan, 2004, USGS photo pair

Hurricane Isabel inlet, 2003, North of Cape Hatteras, NC

Storm Surge Data are Often Lacking

• Data not routinely collected• No formalized procedure• Several agencies• Most data unpublished

Hurricane Opal

Storm Surge

Hurricane Katrina

Even with all this death and destruction resulting from hurricanes storm surge, documentation for storm surge is very limited, and in some cases does not exist.

GOAL

• Create the world’s first storm surge database

• Aid research for coastal hazards assessment

http://www.stormsurgedatabase.org/

Home Page

Home PageLink to real time imagery

Home Page

Select hurricane year of interest for more information

Home Page

Links to satellite imagery by ocean basin

Home Page

Let’s click on 2008

Listing gives name, dates, date and time of U.S. landfall.

Let’s click on Ike

Links to available reports

Satellite image and link to National Hurricane Center

Panable Google map of area of greatest impact.

Aspects of storm surge for database

• Location of data point• Maximum water level• Method of measurement• Who took the measurement• Reliability of measurement

Hurricane Name DatesSaffir-Simpson

Scale

Approach time of

day Latitude Longitude PressureApproach

Angle

Approach Speed mph

State/States Affected

Nearest Major City

Pressure at

Landfall

Wind Speed at Landfall

Tides - Actual

Measurement

Date Measured

Max Water Level above

Predicted Water Level

Max Storm Surge

Description of Height Cited By Citation

Degrees North

Degrees South mb

Name/Distance/Direction to:

MLLW (M) Storm

Tide m mOpal 8/27/1995 Tropical Depression 1800 19.1 87.3 1004

8/28/1995 "" 0000 19.4 87.5 1004"" 0600 19.4 87.9 1004"" 1200 19.3 88.2 1003"" 1800 19.3 88.4 1003

8/29/1995 "" 0000 19.4 88.4 1003"" 0600 19.5 88.4 1003"" 1200 19.6 88.3 1003"" 1800 19.8 88.2 1003

8/30/1995 "" 0000 20.1 88.2 1002"" 0600 20.6 88.3 1002

Tropical Storm 1200 21.1 88.5 1001"" 1800 21.4 89.1 1000

9/1/1995 "" 0000 21.3 89.9 994"" 0600 21.1 90.7 987"" 1200 20.9 91.2 986"" 1800 20.8 91.6 985

9/2/1995 "" 0000 20.7 91.9 984"" 0600 20.8 92.1 980

Hurricane 1200 21.0 92.3 973"" 1800 21.2 92.3 972

9/3/1995 "" 0000 21.7 92.2 970"" 0600 22.2 92.0 969"" 1200 22.8 91.6 968 120 8 1 Tide NOAA"" 1800 23.5 91.0 965 119 10 1 Tide NOAA

9/4/1995 "" 0000 24.5 90.1 953 119 15 1 Tide NOAA"" 0600 25.9 89.4 935 119 18 1 to 2 Tide NOAA"" 1200 27.3 88.5 919 118 18.5 1 to 2 Tide NOAA"" 1800 29.0 87.7 938 118 21 1 to 2 Tide NOAA

Landfall ►►► "" 2200 30.3 87.1 942 117 Florida Pensacola Beach 942 100 mph 2 to 3 High Water Mark NOAA9/5/1995 "" 0000 31.0 86.8 950 25 Florida 950 80 mph 2 to 3 High Water Mark NOAA

Tropical Storm 0600 33.2 86.2 974 26 50 mph 1 to 2 High Water Mark NOAATropical Depression 1200 35.4 85.7 982 26 30 mph 1 to 2 High Water Mark NOAA

Extratropical 1800 38.5 83.5 986 25 40 mph 1 to 2 High Water Mark NOAA9/6/1995 "" 0000 40.5 82.3 989 23 40 mph NOAA

"" 0600 42.0 80.5 991 40 mph NOAA"" 1200 43.3 78.4 997 35 mph NOAA"" 1800 44.5 76.5 1002 30 mph NOAA