Special Series: Dangers of the East Coast - Part 2

Hurricane History & Future

 Welcome to Part 2 of Dangers of the East Coast !  If you haven't already read Part 1, you'll find it here:

 http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-20121-Savannah-EMT-Examiner~y2009m8d28-Special-Series-Dangers-of-the-East-Coast--Hurricanes

What does history tell us about hurricanes of the East Coast?  How can this information help us to be prepared?

First, let's get familiar with the Saffir-Simpson Scale and what it means. Courtesy of http://www.noaa.gov
 

FLORIDA

Florida, by far, has the highest number of storms affecting the state, double the number of every other state in the country.  This is mainly because they get both the Gulf of Mexico storms and the Atlantic storms.  Intensity can vary from Category 1 to Category 5 storms, depending on air and water temperature, ocean currents and steering direction from the jet stream or storm fronts.  In 2005, Hurricanes Dennis (Category 4) and Wilma (Category 5) did massive damage to the state.  It is typical for Florida to have hurricanes make landfall on one coast and cross to exit onto the opposite coast, doing extensive damage everywhere in between.  Of all the  states in the country, Florida is probably the most prepared for hurricanes.  The state is always working hard to maintain the best resources both in personnel and equipment.  Their planning is amongst the best that can be found, although growing population numbers have presented challenges to government emergency service agencies.  Another problem they have is when a storm is travelling due north.  When that happens, there is a need for residents to evacuate to northern states with only a few possible routes. 

GEORGIA
Georgia is one of the least talked about states in terms of hurricanes. It has a different history to tell.  Storm affects have been atypical and for some reason, Georgia has been spared from the enormous storms in recent history. 

That should not lull anyone into a false sense of security. Hurricanes affect the entire state, not just coastal areas.  Like Florida, Georgia can get storms from both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.  In both cases, they tend to travel through to the middle of the state eventually. Atlanta has hurricane-related weather to contend with almost as often as cities in Florida.  Georgia has had few direct landfalls, with the largest being a Category 4 hurricane in 1898 that came ashore near Brunswick, GA.  The state has only had about 6 direct landfalls since the 1890s, however, there have been two landfalls on the border of South Carolina, including Hurricane Gracie, a Category 4 hurricane that struck in 1959, close to the mouth of the Savannah River. 

Several storms have mowed up the east coast from Florida, traveling along the coasts of Georgia, South and North Carolina and beyond.  Two of these have been Category 5 storms which have mostly stayed a short distance off shore.  One early 20th century hurricane tracked straight up what is now I-95.  Georgia could be very vulnerable to future storms and readiness does not seem to be in place as it is in states like Florida, although many organizations such as GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency) are working with counties and state-wide agencies like Civil Air Patrol www.gocivilairpatrol.com to prepare and respond.

NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina storm patterns differ because they have had fewer numbers of hurricane affects overall, however, they have had more direct landfalls.  The storms here seem to be very indiscriminate. Their intensity varies from Category 1 to Category 5 with no dominant patterns.   They would share the effects of a landfall with Tybee Island, Georgia and Wilmington, North Carolina.
 

North Carolina has as many storms as Georgia, the difference being that they get direct hits and the storms tend to be higher in intensity.  The most common intensity for a hurricane from 1890 to the present has been a Category 4 storm.  This state has the reality that when a storm hits, it is likely to be a big one.  North Carolina's barrier islands protect the inland from storm surge, but flooding and wind effects are still serious into the interior of the state.
 

NORTHEAST COASTAL STATES

Finally, last but not least, the North East coast from Virginia northward receives only about 1 hurricane every ten years and the intensity varies from Category 1 to Category 5 storms.  They don’t hit as often, but there is no discernible pattern that classifies North East storms.  When the hurricanes make landfall here, it is a 50/50 chance as to whether they will be large or small.  Once again, we have great technology today to warn us in advance, but using historical patterns as a predictor is not that easy in this part of the country. 

Here are some examples of East Coast Storms, with emphasis on Georgia's Hurricanes:

Category             Winds (MPH)         Description          Examples
1                           74-95                        Minimal               Bob 1985 Hilton Head, S. Carolina
2                           96-110                      Moderate             Hurricane 3, 1911, Savannah, GA
3                          111-130                     Extensive             Bonnie 1998 North Carolina
4                          131-155                     Extreme               Andrew 1992 Florida; 
                                                                                       Hurricane 7 1898, Brunswick, GA
5                           >155                        Catastrophic        Isabel 2003 North Carolina
                                                                                       Wilma 2005 Florida

For more information on How to Survive in a Hurricane, click here: http://www.examiner.com/x-20121-Savannah-EMT-Examiner

Don't forget to subscribe or check back often for Part 3 of the Dangers of the East Coast Series which will talk more about storm effects, describe Tornadoes and introduce you to "Dixie Alley"!

Keep Safe!