Since the late 1990s, USGS has been conducting research to quantify the impact from other hurricanes and nor'easters on the beaches and dunes at Fire Island.
Extratropical storms, commonly called nor'easters, are powerful events that occur during the winter and early spring along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts of the U.S. Prior to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the island was impacted by the Halloween Storm of 2005 (nor'easter), the Patriot's Day storm in 2007 (nor'easter), Nor'Ida in 2009, an unnamed nor'easter in 2010 (fig. 7), and Hurricane Irene in 2011. Since Sandy, the island has been impacted by Hurricane Joaquin in 2015, Hurricane Irma in 2017, the combined energy of offshore Hurricanes Maria and Jose, and, more recently, four powerful nor'easters in one month during March 2018.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Research Integration - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Open Ocean/Marine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
- Overview
Since the late 1990s, USGS has been conducting research to quantify the impact from other hurricanes and nor'easters on the beaches and dunes at Fire Island.
Extratropical storms, commonly called nor'easters, are powerful events that occur during the winter and early spring along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts of the U.S. Prior to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the island was impacted by the Halloween Storm of 2005 (nor'easter), the Patriot's Day storm in 2007 (nor'easter), Nor'Ida in 2009, an unnamed nor'easter in 2010 (fig. 7), and Hurricane Irene in 2011. Since Sandy, the island has been impacted by Hurricane Joaquin in 2015, Hurricane Irma in 2017, the combined energy of offshore Hurricanes Maria and Jose, and, more recently, four powerful nor'easters in one month during March 2018.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Timeline of storms that have impacted Fire Island and surveys the USGS has conducted over the past few decades. Credit: Kat Wilson , USGS
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Nor'Ida was a nor'easter that formed from the remnants of Hurricane Ida during November 2009. These beach profiles show the changes resulting from the storm which caused widespread beach erosion (loss of elevation) but little changes to the dunes. Hurricane Irene made landfall several times along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. in August 2011. By the time the storm was close to Fire Island, it had weakened significantly, but it still resulted in beach erosion, particularly along the lower beach. Credit: Noreen Buster, USGS 
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Fire Island is a 50-km long barrier island along the south shore of Long Island, New York. The island is comprised of seventeen year-round communities; federal, state, and county parks; and supports distinct ecosystems alongside areas of economic and cultural value. In addition to providing resources to its residents, the barrier island also protects the heavily-populated mainland from storm waves...Research Integration - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
In order to predict the future behavior of the Fire Island landscape as a whole, information from across research themes must be integrated.Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation influence estuarine circulation and water levels, sediment transport, and wetland change.Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanfront research at Fire Island, New York, is primarily focused on understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the ocean-facing terrestrial barrier island system, including human influences. The USGS has had ongoing research activities on Fire Island since the late 1990s, providing science to help inform management decisions. Recent efforts include monitoring the response to and recovery...Open Ocean/Marine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
The nearshore is the submerged portion of the shoreface between the inner shelf and the shoreline and includes the surf zone, where waves break. Along with beaches and dunes, nearshore morphology and geology adjusts to changes in waves, sediment supply, human alterations, and sea level rise. By measuring nearshore morphologic and geologic variations, we can understand how quickly beaches and dunes... - Publications