Download or read book Hurricanes of the Gulf of Mexico written by Barry D. Keim and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2009-08-31 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The storm has entered the Gulf." For those who live or travel near the Gulf of Mexico, this ominous announcement commands attention, especially given the frequency and force of hurricane strikes in recent years. Since 2004, the shores around the Gulf of Mexico have been in the crosshairs for an increasing number of hurricanes and tropical storms, including Charley and Wilma in southwestern Florida and Ivan, Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike along the northern Gulf coast from Panama City to near Galveston. In this definitive guide, climatologists Barry D. Keim and Robert A. Muller examine the big picture of Gulf hurricanes -- from the 1800s to the present and from Key West, Florida, to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula -- providing an extraordinary compilation and interpretation of the entire region's hurricane and tropical storm history. Drawing from their own research and from National Hurricane Center records, Keim and Muller examine numerous individual Gulf storms, considering each hurricane's origin, oceanic and atmospheric influences, seasonality, track, intensity, size, point of landfall, storm surge, and impact on life, property, and the environment. They describe the unique features of the Gulf that influence the development of hurricanes, such as the loop current and its eddies, and identify areas of the coastline that are more or less vulnerable because of physical environment, socioeconomic environment, or both. They point out that the increase in population along the Gulf Coast over the past century has led to a rise in hurricane damage as once sparse coastlines are now lined with residents, commerce, and industry. In addition, they assess predicted hurricane activity for coming years in light of competing climate theories as well as cyclical patterns over the past century. Keim and Muller begin their book by scrutinizing the Gulf's deadliest storm, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, whose victims received little to no warning of its approach. They then retrace 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the most costly storm, using NHC advisories and reports. Their comparison of these two catastrophic events shows that despite 105 years of tremendous technological advances, hurricanes remain ultimately rather unpredictable and human warning, readiness, and response measures continue to be imperfect. Keim and Muller also detail other memorable Gulf storms -- the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Audrey, Betsy, Camille, Gilbert, Andrew, Wilma, and more -- and give the hurricane strike records from 1901 to 2005 at thirty locations around the Gulf. They extend the New Orleans hurricane strike record back to the middle of the nineteenth century, providing key insight into comparisons of storm activities during the two centuries. An epilogue summarizes the destructive 2008 hurricane season, including storms Dolly, Gustav, and Ike. Plentiful maps, charts, tables, graphs, and photos, along with anecdotal observations and an informative text, make Hurricanes of the Gulf of Mexico a captivating and useful volume for Gulf residents, storm trackers, or anyone fascinated by the weather.

Download or read book Understanding the Long Term Evolution of the Coupled Natural Human Coastal System written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-11-17 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The U.S. Gulf Coast provides a valuable setting to study deeply connected natural and human interactions and feedbacks that have led to a complex, interconnected coastal system. The physical landscape in the region has changed significantly due to broad-scale, long-term processes such as coastal subsidence and river sediment deposition as well as short-term episodic events such as hurricanes. Modifications from human activities, including building levees and canals and constructing buildings and roads, have left their own imprint on the natural landscape. This coupled natural-human coastal system and the individual aspects within it (physical, ecological, and human) are under increased pressure from accelerating environmental stressors such as sea level rise, intensifying hurricanes, and continued population increase with its accompanying coastal development. Promoting the resilience and maintaining the habitability of the Gulf Coast into the future will need improved understanding of the coupled natural-human coastal system, as well as effective sharing of this understanding in support of decision-making and policies. Understanding the Long-term Evolution of the Coupled Natural-Human Coastal System presents a research agenda meant to enable a better understanding of the multiple and interconnected factors that influence long-term processes along the Gulf Coast. This report identifies scientific and technical gaps in understanding the interactions and feedbacks between human and natural processes, defines essential components of a research and development program in response to the identified gaps, and develops priorities for critical areas of research.

Download or read book Reducing Coastal Risk on the East and Gulf Coasts written by Committee on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Science, Engineering, and Planning: Coastal Risk Reduction and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hurricane- and coastal-storm-related losses have increased substantially during the past century, largely due to increases in population and development in the most susceptible coastal areas. Climate change poses additional threats to coastal communities from sea level rise and possible increases in strength of the largest hurricanes. Several large cities in the United States have extensive assets at risk to coastal storms, along with countless smaller cities and developed areas. The devastation from Superstorm Sandy has heightened the nation's awareness of these vulnerabilities. What can we do to better prepare for and respond to the increasing risks of loss? Reducing Coastal Risk on the East and Gulf Coasts reviews the coastal risk-reduction strategies and levels of protection that have been used along the United States East and Gulf Coasts to reduce the impacts of coastal flooding associated with storm surges. This report evaluates their effectiveness in terms of economic return, protection of life safety, and minimization of environmental effects. According to this report, the vast majority of the funding for coastal risk-related issues is provided only after a disaster occurs. This report calls for the development of a national vision for coastal risk management that includes a long-term view, regional solutions, and recognition of the full array of economic, social, environmental, and life-safety benefits that come from risk reduction efforts. To support this vision, Reducing Coastal Risk states that a national coastal risk assessment is needed to identify those areas with the greatest risks that are high priorities for risk reduction efforts. The report discusses the implications of expanding the extent and levels of coastal storm surge protection in terms of operation and maintenance costs and the availability of resources. Reducing Coastal Risk recommends that benefit-cost analysis, constrained by acceptable risk criteria and other important environmental and social factors, be used as a framework for evaluating national investments in coastal risk reduction. The recommendations of this report will assist engineers, planners and policy makers at national, regional, state, and local levels to move from a nation that is primarily reactive to coastal disasters to one that invests wisely in coastal risk reduction and builds resilience among coastal communities.

Download or read book Catastrophic Coastal Storms written by David R. Godschalk and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Undeveloped Coastal Barriers written by United States. Department of the Interior and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Gulf Coast Rebuilding written by Stanley J. Czerwinski and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2008 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The devastation caused by the Gulf Coast hurricanes presents the nation with unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities to reexamine shared responsibility among all levels of gov¿t. All levels of gov¿t., together with the private & nonprofit sectors, will need to play a critical role in the process of choosing what, where, & how to rebuild. Agreeing on what the costs are, what federal funds have been provided, & who will bear the costs will be key to the overall rebuilding effort. This testimony: (1) places federal assistance provided to date in the context of damage estimates for the Gulf Coast; & (2) discusses key federal programs that provide rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states. Illustrations.

Download or read book Undeveloped Coastal Barriers written by United States. Department of the Interior. Coastal Barriers Task Force and published by . This book was released on 1983 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Undeveloped Coastal Barriers Flood Insurance written by and published by . This book was released on 1983 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Alternative Policies for Protecting Barrier Islands Along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States and Draft Environmental Statement written by United States. Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Initial Effects of a Hurricane Storm Surge on Barrier Island Vegetation written by G. Harry Stopp and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tracings: 91.36, G407.2.

Download or read book Galveston Bay Hurricane Surge Study written by Noble J. Brogdon and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Hurricane Impact on Gulf Coast Barriers written by and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hurricane Frederic made landfall near Pascagoula, Mississippi at midnight, September 13, 1979. At the time of landfall, the central pressure had dropped to 946 mb; onshore winds in excess of 200 km/hr were lashing the Alabama coastline, and the open coast storm tide peaked at 365 cm at Gulf Shores, Alabama. Vertical aerial photography obtained in 1976 and again 9 days after Frederic made landfall, combined with multiple reconnaissance overflights and ground surveys by the authors, provided the data base for determination of shoreline erosion and the deposition of hurricane scour and sedimentary deposits. Erosion of the Gulf beach at Dauphin Island proved to follow a predictable pattern, controlled by nearshore bathymetry, whereas retreat of the shoreline of the Mississippi Sound margin was an unexpected occurrence. Apparently, this retreat was due to a hydraulic jump as washover currents entered the deep water of Mississippi Sound. Large-scale sediment redistribution on Dauphin Island proper was a consequence of the storm surge flood. The ebb surge, however, was responsible for the reopening of three inlets across Little Dauphin Island. The wave-induced property destruction on Dauphin Island was most intense immediately west of the area of high dunes. This segment of the island, the easternmost portion of the Holocene spit, has been breached twice in this century. During future storm events, breaching, or at the very least severe property destruction, in this area seems inevitable. A sensible land use plan for Dauphin Island should include a search for alternative, and potentially safer, areas for development.

Download or read book Willful Winds written by Glenn R. Guntenspergen and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Volumetric Beach and Coast Erosion Due to Storm and Hurricane Impact written by James H. Balsillie and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina written by and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 2006 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The objective of this report is to identify and establish a roadmap on how to do that, and lay the groundwork for transforming how this Nation- from every level of government to the private sector to individual citizens and communities - pursues a real and lasting vision of preparedness. To get there will require significant change to the status quo, to include adjustments to policy, structure, and mindset"--P. 2.

Download or read book Science and the storms The USGS Response to the Hurricanes of 2005 written by and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Provides a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of the 2005 hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico as well as the important role of science in landscape restoration and community recovery"--Provided by publisher.

Download or read book Expert Views on Hurricane and Flood Protection and Water Resources Planning for a Rebuilt Gulf Coast written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Distributed to some depository libraries in microfiche.