2018 Nor’easters in Coastal Massachusetts
Coastal areas of Massachusetts were severely impacted by the January 4 and March 2–4, 2018, nor’easters. The USGS cooperated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to collect and publish total water-level data (the combination of tide, storm surge, wave runup and setup, and freshwater input) from high-water marks and continuous water-level sensors, to better understand the areal extent, timing, and effect of coastal flooding from strong storms.
To put the January and March floods into historical context, the USGS computed statistical stillwater elevations. Stillwater elevations recorded in January 2018 in Boston (9.66 feet above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 [NAVD 1988]) have an annual exceedance probability of between 2 and 1 percent (between a 50- and 100-year recurrence interval). Stillwater elevations recorded in March 2018 in Boston (9.17 feet above NAVD 1988) have an annual exceedance probability of between 4 and 2 percent (between a 25- and 50-year recurrence interval).
The USGS and FEMA have created multiple outreach tools to convey the extent of these two events, including two USGS reports, a geonarrative, a video, a flood event dashboard for users to explore high-water marks and flood inundation maps relating to the storm, and a USGS data release that includes flood inundation maps and data available for download.
Data and shapefiles used to document the floods associated with the January and March 2018 Nor'easters for Coastal Areas of New England
Below are publications associated with this project.
Documentation and mapping of flooding from the January and March 2018 nor’easters in coastal New England
In January and March 2018, coastal Massachusetts experienced flooding from two separate nor’easters. To put the January and March floods into historical context, the USGS computed statistical stillwater elevations. Stillwater elevations recorded in January 2018 in Boston (9.66 feet relative to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988) have an annual exceedance probability of between 2 and 1 perce
Total water level data from the January and March 2018 nor’easters for coastal areas of New England
2018 Nor’easter Storm Events in Coastal New England
Dashboard presenting nor’easter storm events in coastal New England in January and March 2018.
January and March 2018 Nor'easters
Geonarrative about flood documentation and mapping of two large storm events in coastal Massachusetts.
USGS Flood Event Viewer
During large, short-term events, the USGS collects streamflow and additional data (including storm tide, wave height, high-water marks, and additional sensor deployments) to aid in documenting flood events. The USGS Flood Event Viewer provides convenient, map-based access to downloadable event-based data.
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
2018 Nor’easters in Coastal Massachusetts
New England Water Science Center physical scientist scouting out high-water marks associated with the blizzard of January 2018. Houghs Neck Maritime Center, Quincy, Massachusetts. Waves break between houses on White Cap Path in Sandwich, Massachusetts near high tide on Friday, March 2, 2018. Coastal areas of Massachusetts were severely impacted by the January 4 and March 2–4, 2018, nor’easters. The USGS cooperated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to collect and publish total water-level data (the combination of tide, storm surge, wave runup and setup, and freshwater input) from high-water marks and continuous water-level sensors, to better understand the areal extent, timing, and effect of coastal flooding from strong storms.
To put the January and March floods into historical context, the USGS computed statistical stillwater elevations. Stillwater elevations recorded in January 2018 in Boston (9.66 feet above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 [NAVD 1988]) have an annual exceedance probability of between 2 and 1 percent (between a 50- and 100-year recurrence interval). Stillwater elevations recorded in March 2018 in Boston (9.17 feet above NAVD 1988) have an annual exceedance probability of between 4 and 2 percent (between a 25- and 50-year recurrence interval).
The USGS and FEMA have created multiple outreach tools to convey the extent of these two events, including two USGS reports, a geonarrative, a video, a flood event dashboard for users to explore high-water marks and flood inundation maps relating to the storm, and a USGS data release that includes flood inundation maps and data available for download.
- Data
Data and shapefiles used to document the floods associated with the January and March 2018 Nor'easters for Coastal Areas of New England
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to document the floods of January 4, 2018 and March 2-4, 2018, in coastal Massachusetts. USGS conducted a frequency analysis of stillwater elevations at three National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coastal gages following the coastal floods of 2018. The data for these an - Multimedia
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Documentation and mapping of flooding from the January and March 2018 nor’easters in coastal New England
In January and March 2018, coastal Massachusetts experienced flooding from two separate nor’easters. To put the January and March floods into historical context, the USGS computed statistical stillwater elevations. Stillwater elevations recorded in January 2018 in Boston (9.66 feet relative to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988) have an annual exceedance probability of between 2 and 1 perce
AuthorsPamela J. Lombard, Scott A. Olson, Luke P. Sturtevant, Rena D. KalmonTotal water level data from the January and March 2018 nor’easters for coastal areas of New England
During winter 2017–18 coastal areas of New England were impacted by the January 4, and March 2–4, 2018, nor’easters. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under an interagency agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), collected total water level data (the combination of tide, storm surge, wave runup and setup, and freshwater input) using the North American Vertical Datum of 1988AuthorsGardner C. Bent, Nicholas J. Taylor - Web Tools
2018 Nor’easter Storm Events in Coastal New England
Dashboard presenting nor’easter storm events in coastal New England in January and March 2018.
January and March 2018 Nor'easters
Geonarrative about flood documentation and mapping of two large storm events in coastal Massachusetts.
USGS Flood Event Viewer
During large, short-term events, the USGS collects streamflow and additional data (including storm tide, wave height, high-water marks, and additional sensor deployments) to aid in documenting flood events. The USGS Flood Event Viewer provides convenient, map-based access to downloadable event-based data.
- News
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.