Hurricane/Storms
Hurricane/Storms
Hurricanes are large-scale disturbances of such force and size that their influence on landscape pattern and processes of coastal systems is evident, though still poorly understood. The regularity and severity of tropical storms are major factors controlling ecosystem structure and succession for coastal ecosystems. Hurricane landfall rates vary greatly for given coastal stretches of the southeastern United States.
With centers throughout the Southeast U.S. and the Caribbean, our researchers have long been involved in wide-ranging hurricane research efforts, often conducting post-storm assessments to characterize the degree and extent of damage to coastal ecosystem structure. Our scientists don't just conduct the science necessary to understand the effects of hurricanes; our Louisiana researchers helped in rescue efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
To help with rapid response to natural disasters throughout the United States, WARC maintains a Science Response Vehicle (SRV). It is equipped with computers, software, and plotters to provide spatial analyses during and after natural disasters.
Filter Total Items: 19
Engaging Indigenous Communities to Co-Design a Real-time Monitoring Application to Protect Everglades Tree Islands
USGS will collaborate with the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes to co-design a dashboard mock-up for a real-time web application that monitors tree island health in the Everglades.
Capture-Mark-Recapture of Treefrogs at Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge
WARC researchers are gathering amphibian data to better understand the impact of natural disasters on treefrog populations and examine post-event processes.
Impacts of coastal and watershed changes on upper estuaries: causes and implications of wetland ecosystem transitions along the US Atlantic and Gulf Coasts
Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are coastal transition zones where freshwater rivers meet tidal seawater. As sea levels rise, tidal forces move saltier water farther upstream, extending into freshwater wetland areas. Human changes to the surrounding landscape may amplify the effects of this tidal extension, impacting the resiliency and function of the upper estuarine wetlands. One visible...
Informing Future Condition Scenario Planning for Habitat Specialists of the Imperiled Pine Rockland Ecosystem of South Florida
South Florida's pine rockland ecosystem represents less than 3% of its original extent. This project will evaluate habitat conditions for two pine rockland snake species to develop future habitat condition scenarios for Species Status Assessments.
Model Improvements for Louisiana’s 2023 Coastal Master Plan
The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s Coastal Master Plan is a blueprint for responding to environmental changes. As part of the agency’s continued engagement, USGS supports model developments and improvements for the 2023 Coastal Master Plan.
Collecting Ecological Data and Models of Living Shoreline Restoration Projects
Developing effective living shoreline restoration projects that can withstand hurricanes and storms requires a better understanding of how restoration structures reduce the impact of wave and current energy on marsh edges in estuaries and bays. Without this knowledge, existing living shoreline projects and adaptive management measures are more likely to fail, decreasing the possibility for long...
Assessing Coastal Forest Impacts and Resource Management Implications following Hurricane Sandy
Tropical storms and hurricanes wreak havoc with coastal forests where damage can vary with wind speed and approach from isolated treefalls to wide-area blowdowns of whole forests.
Assessment of Wetland Area Change and Shoreline Erosion Due to Hurricane Sandy
Significant damage to coastal communities and surrounding wetlands of the north Atlantic states was caused by Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012, mostly tied to an associated storm surge of record extent and impact.
Natural Resources Assessment of Tribal Lands Impacted by Hurricane Sandy
USGS is committed to meeting the science needs of four Native American Tribes impacted by Hurricane Sandy in New England and New York: the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head - Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard, MA; the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on Cape Cod, MA; the Narragansett Indian Tribe near Charlestown, RI; and the Shinnecock Indian Nation on Long Island.
Effect of Hurricane Wrack Deposition on Coastal Marsh Surface Elevation Change
Storm surge waves and tides of hurricanes have the propensity to wash up marsh detritus of dead reeds and leaf debris along with plastic trash and lumber, commonly referred to as wrack, from overwashed beaches, marshes, forests, streets, and lawns.
Promoting USGS Research on Environmental Impacts of a Major Storm – Hurricane Sandy
Support tasks performed by the WARC Advanced Applications Team for Hurricane Sandy-related projects include aerial imagery capture and processing, standards-compliant data formatting and transformation, metadata creation, and visualization of data in a spatial context.
Dendrochronology of Coastal Forests to Evaluate Impacts of Wind and Surge from Hurricane Sandy
The science of dating growth rings and history of live and fossil wood samples is called dendrochronology. This technique is valuable for conducting climate reconstructions where meteorological data is lacking and for detecting past disturbance events such as tropical storms and hurricanes.