Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms

Hurricane Irene

Pre- and Post-Storm Lidar Topography: Comparisons of beach elevations measured before and after the storm quantify magnitudes of coastal change resulting from Hurricane Irene.

Pre- and Post-Storm Photo Comparisons: Before and after photo pairs show examples of extreme coastal change resulting from Hurricane Irene.

Post-Storm Photos: Photography covers the region from Ocracoke, NC, to Virginia Beach, VA. View photos.

Hurricane Irene made landfall just west of Cape Lookout, NC, on 27 August 2011 as a Cateory 1 hurricane. A second landfall occurred in the early morning of 28 August near Little Egg Inlet, NJ, as a Category 1 hurricane. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hurricanes and Extreme Storms Group is investigating coastal change caused by major storms and is responding to this event by acquiring new observations and updating an analysis of coastal changes.

Aerial photography and laser altimetry will be collected to document beach morphology and the response to this storm. Comparisons of pre- and post-storm data will be used to show the nature, magnitude, and spatial variability of coastal changes such as beach erosion, overwash deposition, and island breaching. These data will also be used to further refine predictive models of coastal impacts from severe storms.

Response Activities

Before landfall

• Pre-storm oblique aerial photo survey of the coast (data collection, completed 08/25/11)
• Initial assessment of potential coastal-change impacts based on generalized storm scenarios (web post, completed 08/25/11)
• Updated assessment of potential coastal-change impacts based on Irene-specific conditions (web post, completed 08/26/11)

After landfall

• Post-storm oblique aerial photo survey of the coast (data collection, completed 08/31/11)
• Post-storm airborne lidar topographic survey (data collection, completed 08/31/11)
• Comparison of pre- and post-storm photos (web post, completed 09/02/11)
• Post-storm oblique aerial photos of impacted coast (web post, complete 09/02/11)
• Comparison of pre- and post-storm lidar topography and coastal change (web post, complete 11/15/11)

National Hurricane Center
National Weather Service