Hurricane Risk in Southeastern MA · 1900-2013 US Hurricane Damage in 2005 USD From Pielke et al.,...

Preview:

Citation preview

Jeff Donnelly

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Hurricane Risk in Southeastern MA

Conditions for genesis

• Warm tropical waters > 26oC, 80oF

• Minimal Wind Shear Aloft

• Prior disturbance

• Coriolis Deflection

What is a tropical cyclone?

Where do they occur?

Intensity

Tropical cyclones come in different sizes

Recent Hurricane Trends

What Might the Future Hold?

N. Atl. Tropical Cyclones

N. Atl. Tropical SST

N. Hem. Mean Temp

From

Coumou and Rahmstorf, 2012

Nature Climate Change

What Might the Future Hold?

Frequency of hurricanes

may increase (particularly

intense storms)

“Best Case”

“Worst Case”

Modern

N. Atl. Tropical Cyclones

N. Atl. Tropical SST

N. Hem. Mean Temp

Using IPCC AR4 models

What Might the Future Hold?

From Emanuel, 2013 PNAS

Using IPCC AR5 models

Frequency of hurricanes

may increase (particularly

intense storms)

Rate of sea-level rise will continue to accelerate

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050 2100

Glo

ba

l S

ea

Le

ve

l (c

m)

Year CE

IPC

C A

R4

Rahm

sto

rf 2

007

Hort

on e

t al. 2

008

Grinste

d e

t al. 2

009

Verm

eer

and R

ahm

sto

rf 2

009

Jevre

jeva e

t al. 2

010

RC

P 8

.5

RC

P 4

.5

RC

P 2

.6

Global Sea Level

Nat

. C

lim

ate

Ass

ess.

20

14

IPCC AR5

Coastal Population Growth

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020

Po

pu

lati

on

Year CE

Barnstable County Population 1900-2010

Coastal Population Growth

Falmouth 1886 Falmouth 2015

19

01

1

90

6

19

11

19

16

1

92

0

19

28

1

93

3

19

36

1

94

1

19

44

1

94

7

19

50

1

95

3

19

56

1

95

9

19

62

1

96

5

19

68

1

97

1

19

74

1

97

7

19

80

1

98

3

19

86

1

98

9

19

92

1

99

5

19

98

2

00

1

20

04

year

1900-2013 US Hurricane Damage in 2005 USD

From Pielke et al., 2008

0

50

100

150

200

Da

ma

ge

(billio

ns

of 2

00

5 U

SD

)

19

01

1

90

6

19

11

19

16

1

92

0

19

28

1

93

3

19

36

1

94

1

19

44

1

94

7

19

50

1

95

3

19

56

1

95

9

19

62

1

96

5

19

68

1

97

1

19

74

1

97

7

19

80

1

98

3

19

86

1

98

9

19

92

1

99

5

19

98

2

00

1

20

04

year

1900-2013 US Hurricane Damage in 2005 USD

But what if these storms were to strike today?

From Pielke et al., 2008

0

50

100

150

200

Da

ma

ge

(billio

ns

of 2

00

5 U

SD

)

19

01

1

90

6

19

11

19

16

1

92

0

19

28

1

93

3

19

36

1

94

1

19

44

1

94

7

19

50

1

95

3

19

56

1

95

9

19

62

1

96

5

19

68

1

97

1

19

74

1

97

7

19

80

1

98

3

19

86

1

98

9

19

92

1

99

5

19

98

2

00

1

20

04

year

1900-2013 US Hurricane Damage in 2005 USD

Damage accounting for increased wealth and population

From Pielke et al., 2008

0

50

100

150

200

Da

ma

ge

(billio

ns

of 2

00

5 U

SD

)

19

01

1

90

6

19

11

19

16

1

92

0

19

28

1

93

3

19

36

1

94

1

19

44

1

94

7

19

50

1

95

3

19

56

1

95

9

19

62

1

96

5

19

68

1

97

1

19

74

1

97

7

19

80

1

98

3

19

86

1

98

9

19

92

1

99

5

19

98

2

00

1

20

04

year

1900-2013 US Hurricane Damage in 2005 USD

Damage accounting for increased wealth and population

From Pielke et al., 2008

19

00

Ga

lve

sto

n

19

15

Ga

lve

sto

n

19

26

Mia

mi

19

92

An

dre

w

19

38

Ne

w E

ng

lan

d

20

04

se

as

on

2005 s

easo

n

Sa

nd

y

0

50

100

150

200

Da

ma

ge

(billio

ns

of 2

00

5 U

SD

)

SLOSH simulation for Woods Hole (above astronomical tide)

Monthly highest water Woods Hole tide gauge (above MHW)

SLOSH simulation for Woods Hole (above MHW)

Boldt et al. (2010)

0

1

2

3

4

1869

1815

1635

me

ters

1727

1804

20

00

19

40

1945

19

50

19

55

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

1938

1944

1954

(Carol)

1960 (Donna) 1991 (Bob)

Year

Irene

Sandy

Hypothetical SE New England Sandy landfall

0

5

10

15

fee

t

Woods Hole, MA

Instrumental record of coastal Inundation

Sea Level Histories

Modeling future sea level changes

From Kopp et al. submitted

1938

1869

1954 1960 1944

Historical Northeast US Hurricanes

Red = cat 3

Black = cat 1 and 2

1938

1869

1954 1960 1944

Historical Northeast US Hurricanes

Red = cat 3

Black = cat 1 and 2

John Winthrop (Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony) “The tide rose at Narragansett fourteen feet higher than ordinary, and drowned eight Indians flying from their wigwams”

William Bradford (Governor of Plymouth Colony) “…a mighty storm of wind and rain as none living in these parts, either English or Indians ever saw” “It caused the sea to swell to the south wind of this place above 20 foot right up and down, and made many of the Indians to climb into trees for their safety” “It blew down many hundred thousands of trees, turning up the stronger by the roots and breaking the higher pine trees off in the middle”

Storm surge from the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635

Storm surge from the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635

1938

1869

1954 1960 1944

Historical Northeast US Hurricanes

Red = cat 3

Black = cat 1 and 2

Hurricane Bob (1991) Storm Surge

Falmouth

What if the Hurricane of 1635 Struck Again?

-5

0

5

10

15

20

0:00:00 1:12:00 2:24:00 3:36:00 4:48:00 6:00:00 7:12:00 8:24:00 9:36:00 10:48:00 12:00:00 13:12:00 14:24:00

Wate

r L

ev

el re

lati

ve t

o M

SL

(fe

et)

Time

Hydrograph for 1635 like storm

Falmouth surge

Bourne surge

What if the Hurricane of 1635 Struck Again?

Falmouth

What if the Hurricane of 1815 Struck Again?

Falmouth

What if the Hurricane of 1815 Struck Again?

Providence in 1815

Falmouth

What if the Hurricane of 1815 Struck Again?

Providence in 1815

Storm tide came within 15 inches of breaching isthmus

where the canal is now (was over 20 feet above sea level)

Falmouth

What if the Hurricane of 1938 Struck Again?

Falmouth

What if Hurricane Bob Struck Again?

High-Resolution Sediment Records

High-Resolution Sediment Records

Salt Pond Reconstruction

Mattapoisett Marsh

Salt Pond Reconstruction

Salt Pond Reconstruction

Thatchpoint Bluehole

Climate Forcing

Climate Forcing

Climate Forcing

Past intervals of heightened hurricane activity appear

to be associated with warm sea surface temperatures

Increased hurricane activity along the eastern US

seaboard is possible (perhaps even likely) in the

coming decades

The impacts of future hurricane activity will be

greatly exacerbated by continuing sea-level rise

and coastal population growth, regardless of whether

or not we experience significant increases in

hurricane landfalls

Summary

For more info see:

www.whoi.edu/science/GG/coastal/

Thank you!

Recommended