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Kara Doran is an oceanographer with the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center. Her area of expertise is understanding and forecasting storm impacts to sandy coastlines.
For the last decade, she has been part of the National Assessment of Storm-Induced Coastal Change Hazards project. Her work in this project includes:
Since 2018 she has acted as the coastal change hazards liaison to the USGS Storm Team and has worked in partnership with other federal agencies such as US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide the nation scientifically rigorous information to assess national vulnerability to coastal change hazards.
Map of the Texas and Louisiana coast showing the tracks of Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020 along with the extent of hurricane warnings for each storm. The yellow dots indicate the location of USGS storm tide sensors that measured water levels during each event.
Map of the Texas and Louisiana coast showing the tracks of Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020 along with the extent of hurricane warnings for each storm. The yellow dots indicate the location of USGS storm tide sensors that measured water levels during each event.
Prior to landfall on the Florida coast on October 9, 2024, the Coastal Change Hazards Team predicted that 86 percent of beaches along the west coast of the Florida peninsula were very likely to erode at the dunes’ base, 82 percent of dunes were very likely to be overwashed by storm waves, and 75 percent of dunes were expected to be very likely to be inundated (
Prior to landfall on the Florida coast on October 9, 2024, the Coastal Change Hazards Team predicted that 86 percent of beaches along the west coast of the Florida peninsula were very likely to erode at the dunes’ base, 82 percent of dunes were very likely to be overwashed by storm waves, and 75 percent of dunes were expected to be very likely to be inundated (
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal shows predictions for the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi from Hurricane Francine.
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal shows predictions for the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi from Hurricane Francine.
Potential coastal change impacts are predicted during a direct landfall of Hurricane Beryl on the Texas coast at 4:00 am, Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Potential coastal change impacts are predicted during a direct landfall of Hurricane Beryl on the Texas coast at 4:00 am, Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Prior to landfall on the Gulf coast of the Florida peninsula on August 30, 2023, the Coastal Change Hazards Team forecast that 95 percent of beaches were forecast to erode at the dunes’ base, 20 percent of dunes were forecast to be overwashed by storm waves, and 1 percent of dunes were expected to be inundated (completely submerged) by surge, tide, and waves. T
Prior to landfall on the Gulf coast of the Florida peninsula on August 30, 2023, the Coastal Change Hazards Team forecast that 95 percent of beaches were forecast to erode at the dunes’ base, 20 percent of dunes were forecast to be overwashed by storm waves, and 1 percent of dunes were expected to be inundated (completely submerged) by surge, tide, and waves. T
Potential coastal change impacts during a direct landfall of Hurricane Ian as of 11:00 am, Friday, September 30, 2022.
Potential coastal change impacts during a direct landfall of Hurricane Ian as of 11:00 am, Friday, September 30, 2022.
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Storm Team has forecast coast-wide levels of beach erosion, inundation and overwash due to Hurricane Florence's expected path and landgfall.
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Storm Team has forecast coast-wide levels of beach erosion, inundation and overwash due to Hurricane Florence's expected path and landgfall.
Map of the Texas and Louisiana coast showing the tracks of Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020 along with the extent of hurricane warnings for each storm. The yellow dots indicate the location of USGS storm tide sensors that measured water levels during each event.
Map of the Texas and Louisiana coast showing the tracks of Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020 along with the extent of hurricane warnings for each storm. The yellow dots indicate the location of USGS storm tide sensors that measured water levels during each event.
Prior to landfall on the Florida coast on October 9, 2024, the Coastal Change Hazards Team predicted that 86 percent of beaches along the west coast of the Florida peninsula were very likely to erode at the dunes’ base, 82 percent of dunes were very likely to be overwashed by storm waves, and 75 percent of dunes were expected to be very likely to be inundated (
Prior to landfall on the Florida coast on October 9, 2024, the Coastal Change Hazards Team predicted that 86 percent of beaches along the west coast of the Florida peninsula were very likely to erode at the dunes’ base, 82 percent of dunes were very likely to be overwashed by storm waves, and 75 percent of dunes were expected to be very likely to be inundated (
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal shows predictions for the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi from Hurricane Francine.
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal shows predictions for the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi from Hurricane Francine.
Potential coastal change impacts are predicted during a direct landfall of Hurricane Beryl on the Texas coast at 4:00 am, Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Potential coastal change impacts are predicted during a direct landfall of Hurricane Beryl on the Texas coast at 4:00 am, Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Prior to landfall on the Gulf coast of the Florida peninsula on August 30, 2023, the Coastal Change Hazards Team forecast that 95 percent of beaches were forecast to erode at the dunes’ base, 20 percent of dunes were forecast to be overwashed by storm waves, and 1 percent of dunes were expected to be inundated (completely submerged) by surge, tide, and waves. T
Prior to landfall on the Gulf coast of the Florida peninsula on August 30, 2023, the Coastal Change Hazards Team forecast that 95 percent of beaches were forecast to erode at the dunes’ base, 20 percent of dunes were forecast to be overwashed by storm waves, and 1 percent of dunes were expected to be inundated (completely submerged) by surge, tide, and waves. T
Potential coastal change impacts during a direct landfall of Hurricane Ian as of 11:00 am, Friday, September 30, 2022.
Potential coastal change impacts during a direct landfall of Hurricane Ian as of 11:00 am, Friday, September 30, 2022.
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Storm Team has forecast coast-wide levels of beach erosion, inundation and overwash due to Hurricane Florence's expected path and landgfall.
The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Storm Team has forecast coast-wide levels of beach erosion, inundation and overwash due to Hurricane Florence's expected path and landgfall.