What is the slosh model?
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The Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model is a computerized numerical model developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) to estimate storm surge heights resulting from historical, hypothetical, or predicted hurricanes by taking into account the atmospheric pressure, size, forward speed, and …
What is a storm surge map?
Surge Inundation Maps provide a snapshot of coastal and inland surge inundation. These color-coded maps plot the maximum storm surge or storm tide height along entire coastal areas. The maps also provide information about the hurricane that produced the surge, such as hourly position and intensity data.
What does FEMA use to measure hurricanes?
Explain that hurricanes are classified according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, which measures wind speed.
What hazards are brought about by storm surge?
The destructive power of storm surge and large battering waves can result in loss of life, buildings destroyed, beach and dune erosion and road and bridge damage along the coast. Storm surge can travel several miles inland. In estuaries and bayous, salt water intrusion endangers public health and the environment.
What type of air mass creates hurricanes?
Maritime Tropical (mT) air masses are associated with the formation of hurricanes, which are large tropical storm systems that form only over warm…
At what hurricane speed can windows break?
Standard residential windows have DP values between 15 and 50. A DP 15 window can reasonably be expected to sustain winds of roughly 77 mph before shattering.
What does the track forecast cone signify?
The cone represents the probable track of the center of a tropical cyclone, and is formed by enclosing the area swept out by a set of circles (not shown) along the forecast track (at 12, 24, 36 hours, etc).
Why are Waffle Houses always open?
It comes from Waffle House’s reputation for being well-prepared for disasters and either remaining open during disastrous weather or reopening shortly afterward. Craig Fugate, who was then the FEMA Administrator, coined the term shortly after the Joplin tornado of May 2011.
Is the Waffle House Index Real?
The Waffle House Index is an informal metric named after the Waffle House restaurant chain to determine the effect of a storm and the likely scale of assistance required for disaster recovery. It was coined by former administrator Craig Fugate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Are all coastal areas prone to storm surges?
(von Storch and Woth, 2008). All coastal regions of the world where strong storms occasionally or regularly pass are affected by storm surges, which comprise most of the world’s coasts (Figure 7.2). There are two major types of storms, tropical and extratropical storms.
How long can a storm surge last?
Depending on the size and track of the hurricane, storm surge flooding can last for several hours. It then recedes after the storm passes. Water level heights during a hurricane can reach 20 feet or more above normal sea level.
Why is a stationary front called stationary?
Stationary Front This happens when two masses of air are pushing against each other, but neither is powerful enough to move the other. Winds blowing parallel to the front instead of perpendicular can help it stay in place. A stationary front may stay put for days.
What is a SLOSH model?
These parameters are used to create a model of the wind field which drives the storm surge. The SLOSH model consists of a set of physics equations which are applied to a specific locale’s shoreline, incorporating the unique bay and river configurations, water depths, bridges, roads, levees and other physical features.
How accurate is the SLOSH model in predicting storm surge?
At the time emergency managers must make an evacuation decision, the forecast track and intensity of a tropical cyclone are subject to large errors, thus a single simulation of the SLOSH model does not always provide an accurate depiction of the true storm surge vulnerability.
What is the difference between the SLOSH model and the SDP?
The SLOSH model and the SLOSH Display Program (SDP) are two different tools. The SLOSH model is used by the National Hurricane Center to forecast storm surge and model storm surge vulnerability; the SDP is the software provided to emergency managers and other users to visualize the data produced by the National Hurricane Cennter.
How are slosh Moms created for storm categories?
SLOSH MOMs are created for each storm category by retaining the maximum storm surge value in each grid cell for all the MEOWs, regardless of the forward speed, storm trajectory, or landfall location. SLOSH MOMs are available for mean tide and high tide scenarios and represent the near worst-case scenario of flooding under ideal storm conditions.