Understanding Storm Surge

Storm surge is frequently one of the most dangerous aspects of hurricanes, particularly in Florida. You might wonder why this phenomenon poses such a threat. Simply put, a storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea level generated by a storm’s winds pushing water onshore.

It’s not just the strong winds or the heavy rainfall that make hurricanes so deadly; it’s the surge of water that can flood coastal areas in a matter of hours.

You need to understand how storm surge works to fully grasp its danger. As a hurricane approaches land, its powerful winds can push vast amounts of ocean water toward the coastline, causing water levels to rise dramatically above normal tides.

The geography of Florida makes it especially vulnerable, with its extensive coastline and low-lying land. This surge of water can inundate homes, roads, and infrastructure, leading to significant damage and potential loss of life.

When you hear about an impending hurricane, pay close attention to storm surge warnings. They’re crucial for understanding the potential impact on your area.

Being prepared and knowing evacuation routes can make all the difference in ensuring your safety during a hurricane.

Historical Impact on Florida

Throughout history, hurricanes have left a profound mark on Florida, with storm surges among the most devastating effects.

Imagine standing on the shores of Miami in 1926, as the Great Miami Hurricane approached. This storm’s surge swept away homes and businesses, reshaping the coastline.

Fast forward to 1935, and you witness the Labor Day Hurricane, still one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States. The storm surge wiped out entire communities in the Florida Keys, reminding everyone of nature’s raw power.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew made landfall, wreaking havoc across South Florida. While the winds were catastrophic, storm surge compounded the destruction, leaving thousands homeless.

Then came the devastating 2004 and 2005 seasons, with Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Wilma, each bringing their own surge-related calamities. You’d see flooded streets and neighborhoods, with residents scrambling to safety.

More recently, Hurricane Irma in 2017 underscored how vulnerable Florida remains. Irma’s surge inundated areas from the Keys to Jacksonville, demonstrating that despite advances in forecasting, storm surges remain unpredictable and deadly.

As you reflect on these events, it’s clear that Florida’s history is intertwined with the enduring threat of storm surge.

How Storm Surge Develops

Understanding how storm surge develops helps explain the devastation witnessed throughout Florida’s history. When a hurricane approaches, it’s not just the wind you need to worry about—it’s the water. As a storm moves over the ocean, its strong winds push seawater toward the shore. This is the beginning of storm surge. The speed and intensity of the wind play a crucial role in determining how much water gets displaced.

The surge starts to build up well before the hurricane makes landfall. Think about how a broom sweeps dust into a pile. Similarly, the wind sweeps seawater, creating a mound of water that can be several feet high. The shape of the coastline and the slope of the ocean floor also influence the surge’s height and impact.

In Florida, where the coastlines are relatively flat, the water can travel far inland, causing significant flooding. As the hurricane gets closer, the surge can rise rapidly, catching many off guard. It’s this unexpected rise in sea level, combined with massive waves, that makes storm surge so deadly.

Measuring the Surge

When it comes to measuring storm surge, precision is key to ensuring safety and preparedness. You need to understand that a storm surge isn’t just a high tide; it’s a complex phenomenon influenced by various factors like wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and ocean floor topography.

To measure it accurately, experts use a combination of tools and techniques.

First, you’ll find tide gauges as essential instruments. These devices, placed along the coast, provide real-time data on sea levels. They help determine how much the water has risen due to the surge.

Next, consider the role of satellites. Satellites offer a bird’s-eye view, allowing you to track large-scale changes in ocean levels across vast areas. They’re invaluable for covering remote or less accessible coastlines.

Drones and aircraft equipped with LiDAR technology add another layer of accuracy. They fly over affected areas, creating detailed topographical maps that show the surge’s impact.

Predicting Surge Patterns

While measuring storm surge gives us insight into its immediate effects, predicting surge patterns helps communities prepare before a hurricane hits. You need to understand that predicting these patterns involves sophisticated models that analyze various factors. Meteorologists use data such as wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and topography to anticipate how high and far a surge might travel. By examining historical storm data and current weather conditions, they can simulate potential scenarios.

You’ve probably heard of tools like the SLOSH (Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes) model. It’s a computer program that predicts surge heights based on different hurricane conditions. These predictions are crucial for emergency planners to determine which areas might face the highest risk. By analyzing the model’s outputs, communities can make informed decisions about evacuations and resource allocation.

Keep in mind, though, that predicting surge patterns isn’t foolproof. Unforeseen changes in storm paths or intensity can alter predictions. However, with ongoing improvements in technology and modeling techniques, predictions are becoming more accurate and reliable.

Mitigation and Preparedness

Preparing for hurricanes requires proactive measures and strategic planning. Begin by understanding your flood risk and reviewing evacuation routes. Florida’s coastlines are particularly vulnerable, so knowing your area’s elevation and proximity to water is crucial. Get familiar with local emergency management resources to stay informed during a storm.

Create an emergency kit stocked with essentials: non-perishable food, water, medications, flashlights, and batteries. Don’t forget important documents. Make sure your insurance policies cover flood damage, as standard homeowners’ policies typically don’t. Reinforce your home by installing storm shutters and securing loose outdoor items.

Communication is key. Establish a family emergency plan detailing how you’ll stay in touch and where you’ll meet if separated. Sign up for alerts from trusted sources like the National Weather Service. Participate in community preparedness programs to enhance collective readiness.

Consider long-term water damage mitigation strategies. Working with professionals to clean and dry your property post storm can be extensive and will require coordination with your insurance company or FEMA. 

Human and Environmental Costs

Amidst the chaos of a hurricane, the human and environmental costs can be staggering. You might find yourself looking at devastated landscapes, where homes once stood proudly, now reduced to debris. Families face the heart-wrenching task of rebuilding their lives from scratch. The emotional toll is immense, as you cope with the loss of irreplaceable memories and the uncertainty of the future.

Professional Water Mitigation is an Important Step to Reduce the Potential For Lingering Mold Growth Challenges

Mold is a type of fungus that thrives in damp, humid conditions and reproduces via tiny spores that can be harmful when inhaled. Hidden water damage, such as leaks within walls, under floors, or above ceilings, creates the perfect moist environment for mold to flourish. This situation is particularly problematic as the water damage can go undetected for prolonged periods, giving mold ample time to grow and spread.

Black Mold Can Grow Quickly on Porous Surfaces

The relationship between water damage and mold growth is essentially about the ideal conditions for fungal development. Mold requires a combination of moisture, oxygen, and organic material to grow. Areas affected by water damage usually fulfill these conditions. Moisture from the water damage, combined with oxygen in the environment and organic material (like wood, drywall, or insulation), provides a fertile breeding ground for mold.

Preventing water damage is difficult with flash flooding emergencies, storms, and broken pipes, it is essential to act quickly when first discovered and to take quick action and call a professional at the first signs of water-related issues. Regularly inspecting your property for any signs of water damage, such as staining, discoloration, dampness, or musty odors, can help you detect problems early. Pay attention to areas prone to water exposure, like bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and areas around windows or pipes.

In addition to regular inspections, maintaining a good level of ventilation in your home can be vital in preventing mold growth. Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens, ensure your dryer vents outside, and consider using dehumidifiers in particularly damp areas of your home. If water damage is discovered, it’s crucial to repair the source of the water issue immediately and thoroughly dry the area. In severe cases, or if mold is already present, consider hiring professionals to ensure the damage is appropriately handled and that your home is safe.

The connection between hidden water damage and mold growth stems from the damp conditions that water damage creates. Mold is a serious issue that can damage property and negatively impact health. Hence, regular inspections, prompt repairs, and proper ventilation are essential in preventing water damage and, in turn, mold growth in your home.

Did you know that the most common natural disaster in the US is flooding? That’s right, flash floods can occur in any of the 50 states. Additionally, the most expensive household water damage is caused by floods. When flooding occurs, it may cause excessive amounts of property damage to homeowners.

The next obvious step to putting things back on track if flood damage ever occurs is assessing the extent of damage to your home and its foundation after the water has subsided. Homeowners of homes with pier foundations, concrete slab foundations, or beam foundations may find themselves with a mountain of work to do if a flood damages their property.

How Flooding Causes Foundation Damage

Depending on how severe a flood is, it can result in an event with standing water for a long time, or it might be fast, powerful water moving rapidly. Any kind of flooding, no matter how severe, can result in water damage to a building’s foundation.

A foundation may shift and upheave due to flood water, which could weaken its structural integrity. Your home’s foundation may move if there is constant water present or a steady high-pressure blast of water is being forced up against or underneath it.

Essentially, the kind of soil that the property sits on is another aspect that may result in damage to a foundation during flooding. When some soil types, like clay, come into contact with water, they expand. The soil beneath a foundation may shift as a result, possibly resulting in thousands of dollars worth of damage and repairs. Heavy rain, let alone a flood, can cause damage to homeowners whose property is on expansive soil types.

What to Do When Flooding Causes Foundation Damage

When water and foundation damage occur, it is crucial to determine if the structure is safe for residents to occupy. The environment needs to be quickly evacuated if there are visible indicators of structural damage because their stay compromises the environment’s safety. You must hire a foundation repair contractor to address the problems at hand if the foundation has been damaged.

Flooding can also result in a variety of other harms, such as electrical and gas concerns. Property owners should turn off their HVAC and electricity for added security. If flooding isn’t too bad, property owners can probably repair the damage themselves. Most importantly, it is crucial to address any foundation or water damage as soon as possible because prolonging the process might result in additional damage and destruction.

Conclusion

A flood’s aftereffects can be disastrous. Flood damage has the potential to seriously harm a property’s foundation in addition to destroying the building’s structure and contents. There are several ways that flood conditions can harm a foundation, from cracks and fractures to settling and sinking.

If the foundation of your home has been damaged in any way, there are foundation repair services available. However, the quality of a foundation build or repair depends entirely on the tools and supplies a foundation contractor uses. Building or restoring a strong foundation requires the use of high-quality materials, such as the steel piling products from Magnum Piering.

Gov. Ray Cooper told the press that Hurricane Florence is going to be a big hurricane that threatens lives and make history record. He keep emphasizing that there are a lot of potentials for the wind to cause damages and flooding. It is estimated that the storm will arrive early in the morning of Friday before 5 am. If the storm is powerful, it could cause Carolina to have power outages that last for weeks.

Many people are expected to be displaced from their coastal homes. Many places inland are also at risk of getting flooded. The heavy rain will flood the manure pits and cause contaminated water to enter into the houses.

There is the 80 first responders team and the Maryland Task Force One that are prepared to help residents in South Carolina when the flood comes. They are equipped with all the rescue supplies such as boat, suitcases, and water cases. They are leaving at 6 am in the morning on Wednesday.

Some weather factors will cause Florence to linger in Carolina for many days. The longer Florence stay in Carolina, the higher the amount of precipitation it will stall. Ken Graham, the director of National Hurricane says that more rain also mean more trees are going to fall and longer power outages. Many places in the south of Virginia including Roanoke, Danville, and Farmville will be expecting up to 15 inches of rain when Hurricane Florence arrive.

Many waterfront areas in George town and Alexandria are already flooded since Sunday. Coastal flood advisory will take effect starting on Wednesday in selected regions like Anne Arundel, St. Mary’s counties, and Falls Church. Flood warnings have been issued in Loudoun, Fairfax and Maryland on Wednesday. Chief Scott E. Goldstein advises the people to take all the necessary steps.

Federal Aid is now available after President Donald Trump declared state of emergency. Gov. Ralph Northam has make a mandatory evacuation announcement on low lying coastal areas in Virginia. The state officials have also gone on to warn residents all over the state to prepare for the storm.

On Tuesday, the US Department has also announced a public health emergency for North Carolina and South Carolina. Residents can make use of their Medicare and Medicaid coverage during the landfall.

Maryland is particularly concerns that the storm will bring a sustained rainfall that continue for 2 days. Ellicott City is one of the place that is likely to get hit with a big flood damage. By Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center has already forecast that Florence will upgrade to tropical storm and then to hurricane storm heading towards North Carolina coast.

Central Maryland has a 30% chance while Southern Maryland has a 40% chance of getting hit by Florence. The wind should not pose a lot of threat on Maryland if the forecast maintain that the storm will hit Carolina. In this case, Maryland will only get some strong winds. Although Maryland may not get hit by Florence, it may get hit by a tropical storm with some wind traveling at 73 mph on Thursday morning.

At the moment, the chief concern is storm surge that might appear on Carolina coast. The area where the storm surge will take place relies on the track of the storm. In some beaches for example, the beach in Baltimore, the water of the ocean is 2 feet higher than the normal level. The water of Chesapeake Bay has also increased. Maryland is expected to receive more fainfall as Hurricane Florence closes in.

Maryland National Guard has been informed of about the hurricane. The crews of utility companies and State Highway Administration have also been alerted. There are state shelters are available for the locals in case they are not in time to find their own shelters. In the meantime, Gov. Ralph Northam has already announced a state of emergency in Virginia.

On the Maryland government Twitter page, the latest tweet state that the state emergency management team is monitoring Hurricane Florence and regularly evaluate its impact to the state. In the tweet, the government also urge the residents of Maryland to look out for any official declaration, and pay attention to the forecast channel for the latest update on the hurricane.

At this time, it is advised that the people don’t go to any beach on the east coast. This is because the hurricane is approaching and there will possibly be life threatening surge. There will also be strong current in the water which makes it dangerous to swim. It is important that you always keep yourself prepared by going to the store to stock in the emergency supplies and paying attention to the situation.

The governors of the 3 states, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, have declared a state of emergency due to the danger posed by the storm. The last hurricane to hit the US coastlines was Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which resulted in the death of 35 people and damage to property worth $ 20 billion.

The National Weather Service predicts that the storm will hit Orlando on Friday, 7th October morning with powerful winds than what it faced in 2004 with Hurricane Charley. It is expected that the worst hit will take place at 5 am Friday morning, with the lead up to it starting late Thursday evening.

The Weather Underground predicted that the assault of the storm will start on Thursday night with torrential rains and high winds, which could result in a lot of damage. Other areas that are under hurricane warning include Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and Orange counties.

Even though the storm dumped several inches of rain in Haiti, it is expected that it will not rain as much in the US as it did in Haiti, so widespread flooding is not expected. However, the South Florida Water Management District still lowered water in its canal systems throughout the region to minimize chances of flooding in case they get more rain than expected. Nevertheless, it is predicted that the storm will dump a few inches of rain water in some areas. Rainfall in several counties could reach up to several inches high, with possibilities of it getting to 10 inches in Brevard or up to 8 inches in Orlando.

Various Southeastern ports in Florida were closed. This includes the ports of Miami, Port of Palm Beach, Miami River, and Port Everglades among others. No ships are allowed to dock and there is no traffic coming in or going out of the ports.

Florida Power and Light, which is the biggest supplier of electricity in the state stated that it had 4, 000 workers on standby, ready to perform any repairs to damages brought about by the hurricane. Gas stations, department stores and home improvement stores also experienced high sales, as people stocked up in preparation for the storm.

There is a possibility that the storm could loop back to the south after it has gotten off Georgia or North Carolina, which means that there could be another storm run in Florida a week after the current storm passes through.

The year 2005 has the worst hurricane season as of the mid 19th century, as the area was destroyed by a strong hurricane that is Category 3 or higher. Category 3 hurricanes has wind speed that move at about 111 mph. A medium serious hurricane would have wind that reach as fast as 74 mph or more. The wind in a tropical storm would travel at a speed of 39 mph. When the wind travels at a greater speed, it can turn into a hurricane with winds moving at a faster speed.

There are a bit of variations in the hurricane season predictions for Florida in 2016. Some of the channels that have made predictions for Florida hurricane season are NOAA, The Weather Channel, Accuweather and Colorado State University. NOAA predicts 10 – 16 named storms will take place. In addition, they also predict that there may be 4 – 8 hurricanes with at least 1 – 4 hurricanes transforming into the major hurricanes. The Weather Channel that is owned by IBM predicts that there will be 14 named storms. They predict that there will be 8 storms that turn into hurricanes with at least 3 of them turning into major hurricanes.

The forecast does not guarantee that the storms or hurricane will hit Florida. They could probably or probably not hit Florida this year. Despite that, residents in Florida should be well prepared to face the hurricane season no matter what. Those who are planning to have vacation in Florida should make sure that they have adequate travel insurance coverage. In this way, you can get a refund of your air ticket in the event that your flight was canceled due to the hurricane storm.

You must buy the insurance at least 1 day prior to the occurrence of the hurricane in order to be qualified for the refund. You should always be paying attention to the weather forecast channel about the weather in Florida if you plan to visit there soon. It is advised that you don’t visit Florida if there are tropical storms. Tropical storms are not as dangerous as hurricanes but it will cause heavy downpour of rains that last for many days. The rain which lasted for several days could affect your vacation. Sometimes, weak storm can cause a lot of damages especially when the strong wind is passing by slowly.

These forecast models can change every single day I should point out. For example just yesterday the GFS model predicted Hurricane Joaquin making landfall in the Carolina’s, yet this same model today has Hurricane Joaquin going out to sea a little. Most models at this time however point to Hurricane Joaquin making direct landfall along the eastern seaboard. Residents of the East Coast in any area prone to flooding would be well advised to have emergency plans in place, and have an escape route, as well as any needed emergency supplies.

No matter if it makes landfall or not, such as how the European forecast model shows, it will still have major effects on the East Coast. Most notably due the the massive rainfall, some of which as mentioned is already punching areas of the East Coast. If the European model is correct, and Hurricane Joaquin makes it way out to sea, the East Coast could see a punishing amount of wind strike the coast. Combined with torrential rains, this has the potential to cause a swath of wide spread devastation and economic impact for more than a dozen states along the eastern seaboard. Beach erosion is also predicted, whether for not Hurricane Joaquin makes landfall.

The major danger of this storm is the record rains that will happen, and already have started in large portions of the East Coast. Even mudslides and landslides are predicted along the East Coast. Winds are relatively high in the Bahamas right now, but this can change. Several states are expected to receive over 8 inches of record rainfall, with poor Fayetteville North Carolina and Wilmington slated to receive anywhere from at least 12 inches to as much as 18 inches of rainfall. With this rain, timing is one of the key issues, as much of this rain will fall in just a short period of time, causing massive flooding and flash flooding across several states and locations. The good news is that most forecast models do predict the winds lessening as every day passes towards the weekend. Monday for example the winds are expected to die down to about 85 miles per hour.

The problem with hurricanes is that early data can often change. The Air Force is continuing to fly storm chasing aircraft into the heart of the Hurricane to gather data for the forecast models. More information will become available on this site, as forecast models get updated.

This atmospheric river will fuel the heavy rain as a strong storm moves into the Pacific Coast on Thursday and will continue through Saturday. The heaviest amounts of rain will occur in Northern California during Friday.
This system is part of a surge of tropical moisture that extends near Hawaii, and that is the reason that this system will impact the West Coast so much. This air isn’t usually near our latitude, so it will have a larger impact. This type of weather pattern will definitely enhance looming threats such as flash flooding and landslides. Areas that were affected by wildfires this year will be especially vulnerable to flooding and debris flows since the water cannot penetrate the scorched ground.

As for rainfall totals, 2-3 inches is expected in northern California and western Oregon. This also includes the Bay Area, which has been completely dry throughout the whole month of January. This is the first time that San Francisco has had no rain in January since weather trackers began taking records in 1850. In the farthest north portion of California, the rainfall amounts may exceed 5 inches from Thursday into Saturday.

Flight delays and cancellations may be possible at San Francisco International Airport on Friday due to low clouds and excessive rainfall that is predicted to be associated with the storm. Even motorists can expect slower travel on the ground as the rain begins to mix with oil buildup on roadways, as this will more than likely create some slicker than normal conditions.

A second storm will make its way into the West Coast on Sunday and will extend into Monday; this storm will dump some heavy rain along the coast of California and Oregon. This rain follows a very dry season for many locations, and this is the first significant rainfall event for Northern California since the middle of December.

The most important resource to fill the reservoirs and water supply for California during drought is the snowpack from the mountains. It is imperative to take a look at snowpack levels when analyzing the impact that the storms may have on the drought situation. Unfortunately, mountain snow isn’t very likely to be included in the list with these upcoming storms. Snow levels will be quite high because of the warm subtropical flow, and it will exceed 8,000 most of the time. This means that too much rain in some places isn’t necessarily a good thing; because it won’t be of any help in trying to put down a snowpack.

Check with your local weather resource for more information!

1) Clean Your Gutters
This is something that most homeowners know they should do, but they neglect it or forget that it needs to be done. Making sure that any falling water can flow freely through your gutters will prevent icicles and ice dams from forming later. Ice dams can end up costing a lot of money if they cause enough damage. Cleaning your gutters may take up your time but it is free and can save you money.

2) Flush the Water Heater
Sediment and other types of particles will begin to collect over time in the bottom basin of your water heater, and it will actually cause it to be less efficient. To combat this, flush the water through the drain valve. This will clear out any lingering materials and keep your heater in tip top shape. There is no cost for this either!

3) Change the Direction of Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are awesome in the summer and save you some money when it comes to air conditioning. But, did you know that they can help you save some money during the winter months as well? Change the direction of your fans so that they’re moving in a clockwise rotation so that they push hot air along the ceiling towards the floor. If they’re going counterclockwise the results will not be the same. This is also free as long as you have a fan.

4) Replace Filters
Changing the filters in your central air and heating system on a regular basis will vastly improve the longevity of your system as well as the efficiency. This will also save you from costly repairs in the future. A new filter can run about $10.

5) Insulate Windows
While this may not be the most fashionable tip, you should insulate your windows using window insulation film. It can keep up to 70% of the heat from leaking out of windows. The cost of this is about $20 to $35 per kit.

6) Draft Guards
Installing draft guards can definitely help the heat from escaping underneath your door. This is only about $10 to $15 dollars. If you don’t feel like spending your money, you can also roll up a towel and put it underneath an exterior door.

7) Weatherstrip Tape
Leaks and drafts always cause the heating costs to skyrocket, so make sure that all of your window as well as your doors are sealed tight with weatherstripping. This is a simple and easy way to reduce your heating costs and it will only cost you about $5 to $10 for a large roll.

8) Fiberglass Insulation
If you really want to make sure that no heat escapes from your home, pack some fiberglass insulation around your basement doors, windows in any unused rooms, and window AC units. Make sure that your attic floor is insulated as well. Just remember to be careful while doing this and wear gloves. This costs about $25 per roll.

9) Programmable Thermostat
The United States Department of Energy states that you can save as much as 1% on your energy bill for every degree that you lower your home’s temperature during the winter. Installing a programmable thermostat will save you money by keeping the temperature down while you aren’t there.

10) Caulk
If you find that there are some small gaps in the doors, windows, or in siding, these can be filled with caulk. If you find that a window is extremely drafty, you will want to caulk the inside too by pulling off the moldings. It can cost about $20 for a basic caulk gun and about $5 to $10 for a tube of caulk.

11) Chimney Balloon
A lot of heat can be lost in the winter due to an unused chimney. If it isn’t in use, put a chimney balloon up there to keep the drafts out and the heat in. These run at about $55 dollars at a hardware store.