Research on hurricanes and tropical storms. Covers AI storm tracking, wind-damage assessment, warning systems, and Hurricane Hunter data.
A new MIT study uses climate modeling to reconstruct global hurricane activity, finding a significant increase in North Atlantic hurricanes over the last 150 years. In contrast, global hurricane frequency remains unchanged. The study's findings suggest regional climate variations play a key role in shaping hurricane patterns.
A new study predicts that future East Coast hurricanes will cause greater damage than past storms, with more storms forming near the coast and lingering over populated areas. This is due to changes in atmospheric patterns caused by warmer air temperatures, which will slow down wind speeds and allow hurricanes to stay on track for longer.
The Gulf Coast is expected to experience more frequent sequential landfalls, with Louisiana and Florida being the most at risk. This will lead to intensified stresses on infrastructure, ecosystems, and people, as well as reduced recovery time between disasters.
A study by University of Cincinnati professor Michael J. Fry found that a single large warehouse would be the most cost-efficient approach for disaster relief supplies, but a single location is vulnerable to destruction. The research suggests cooperation between government and relief organizations can improve response effectiveness.
The StEER Network's post-event reconnaissance helped assess building damage from Hurricane Michael, revealing widespread wind- and surge-induced damage. The dataset has been used to develop data-driven fragilities, train machine learning applications, and inform policy and practice improvements for coastal communities.
Researchers found that stronger hurricanes trap and transport more birds due to their intense winds and thunderstorms. The study used radar data from 33 Atlantic hurricanes between 2011 and 2020, revealing a correlation between hurricane intensity and the presence of birds within the eye.
A new study quantifies landscape changes on barrier islands, revealing that storms can create habitat for coastal species. The research found varying impacts from two hurricanes, Irene and Sandy, which reshaped Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
A new machine learning approach has been developed by researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to improve hurricane intensity predictions. The model uses artificial intelligence techniques and can run on a commercial laptop, offering more accurate forecasts than existing models. It also enables th...
A recent survey of people affected by hurricanes found that the public is willing to pay more than $500 million a year for improved hurricane forecasts. The study also found that wind speed forecast is the most valuable improvement, with an average willingness to pay of $28.89 per household per year.
A new study analyzes millions of Twitter posts during three major hurricanes to develop a method for measuring social cohesion. The researchers found that monitoring social media chatter can help decision makers understand how communities communicate during disasters and identify areas for improvement.
Researchers are using tree rings and sediments to reconstruct Atlantic hurricane history over millennia. By combining these natural archives with global climate model simulations, they aim to refine the record of history's hurricanes.
A new study suggests that emergency management officials often lack the numeracy skills needed to make best evacuation decisions based on data. The most numerate officials provided additional evacuation times to their coastal communities, while less numerate ones gave less advance warning and over-evacuated tens of thousands more people.
A study published by Sandia National Laboratories reveals that older solar farms are more susceptible to extreme weather events, while snowstorms have the highest impact on electricity production. Machine learning analysis also found that low sunlight levels due to cloud cover and geographical features of the farm are significant factors.
A new study assesses the impacts of sea level rise and wetland change on storm surge flooding in the Chesapeake Bay region. The results show that even relatively weak storms in 2100 could have a greater impact than high-intensity storms today, with significant property damage and effects on people.
Researchers developed scale model structures that can predict storm damage to wood-frame buildings, using LiDAR technology to track damage progression. The study's findings suggest that elevated structures are more resilient to wave loading and surge forces than on-grade models.
Researchers at Texas A&M University developed a framework to assess community resilience after natural disasters by analyzing location-based data from essential establishments. The study found that communities with low resilience experienced more flooding, but the level of impact did not necessarily correlate with recovery time.
Correcting historic sea surface temperatures improves hurricane model accuracy, aligning with observed hurricane frequency variations. This approach provides a more confident basis for predicting the impact of climate change on future hurricane frequency.
A new study found that mangrove forests in Florida suffered unparalleled dieback after Hurricane Irma due to human-made obstacles and changes in natural topography. The research team identified potential explanations, including restricted water flow between areas, which can lead to extreme conditions and degradation of wetland vegetation.
Researchers used simulations to explore the fate of landfalling hurricanes, discovering that cold cores grow from the bottom of the hurricane as it decays. This unexpected finding could help forecasters predict extreme weather events and distinguish between decaying and re-intensifying storms.
A new study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory uses a hydraulic model to quantify the impact of climate change on flooding in Houston, Texas during Hurricane Harvey. The research reveals that 14% to 15% of the cost of flooding was due to climate change.
A new study shows Puerto Rico's capacity to produce record-breaking floods and landslides, highlighting the need for adaptation in planning tools. The island's limited water storage capacity is exacerbated by sediment infilling reservoirs, leading to water scarcity.
Hurricanes of higher categories generate significantly more Twitter attention than lower-category storms, even in cases of similar damage and loss of life. The study highlights the importance of online attention in the aftermath of natural disasters.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina developed a data assimilation method to improve multi-day forecast accuracy of coastal water levels. The method yielded substantially smaller errors in water level estimates and is now used by NOAA's Extratropical Surge and Tide Operational Forecast System.
Researchers developed an AI tool called BRAILS to simulate risks to cities using crowdsourced data, neural networks, and supercomputers. The tool automatically identifies building characteristics and detects hazards like earthquakes, hurricanes, or tsunamis.
A new study by Stevens Institute of Technology researcher finds that human-caused sea level rise contributed $8.1 billion to Hurricane Sandy's damage, with an additional 71,000 people and 36,000 homes affected. The research uses novel modeling techniques to quantify the costs of storm damage caused by climate change.
A new study tracked large sharks in Miami and The Bahamas to understand their responses to major storms like hurricanes. Researchers found that different shark species behaved differently by species and location, with some evacuating shallow waters while others remained or even increased in numbers after the storm passed.
After Hurricane Maria, rhesus macaques in Puerto Rico expanded their social networks and became more tolerant of other individuals. The animals formed new connections, resulting in a more tolerant society as a whole.
Researchers at Texas A&M University discovered evidence of human settlement in the Bahamas around 1200-1300 A.D. using charcoal deposits from human fires thousands of years ago. The new settlers dramatically changed the landscape, leading to increased deforestation and loss of native species.
A team of scientists detected a space hurricane in Earth's polar ionosphere and magnetosphere, revealing a long-lasting, swirling mass of plasma. The analysis allowed a 3D image to be created of the hurricane, which rained electrons instead of water.
The Frontera supercomputer has expanded its capabilities to accelerate life sciences research during the COVID-19 pandemic and support rapid responses to emergencies like hurricanes and earthquakes. The expansion adds nearly 400 server nodes, increasing compute time by nearly 3.5 million node hours annually.
A new study investigates how hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic affect each other and disaster response in southern Louisiana. Community-based organizations face new challenges, including reduced financial resources and service delivery constraints due to protocols to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spread.
A recent study reveals that the soundscapes of coral reef ecosystems can recover from hurricanes like Irma in just 24-48 hours. The researchers used underwater microphones to monitor the reef's acoustic picture before and after the storm, finding that the snapping shrimp were back to pre-storm sound levels within 24 hours.
A study of over 1,700 young people exposed to major hurricanes found that most experienced recovery or low-decreasing post-traumatic stress symptoms. The trajectories among youth reflected a need for health surveillance systems and stepped care interventions after disasters.
A study examined posttraumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents exposed to major US hurricanes. The results found a significant association between exposure to natural disasters and the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Hurricane maximum wind speeds in the subtropical Atlantic around Bermuda have more than doubled over the last 60 years due to rising ocean temperatures. This increase in energy extraction from warm oceans leads to more intense hurricanes, posing a significant threat to Bermuda.
Engineers at Rice University developed a model to quantify the spread of pollutants from failed storage tanks during natural disasters. The model shows that chemicals like benzene and toluene can evaporate and drift with the wind, posing health risks to downwind communities.
Research from Imperial College London found tropical cyclones are getting 30km closer to coastlines per decade, increasing the risk of damage and 'near-misses'. The study suggests changes in atmospheric patterns may be driving this trend, which could have profound implications for coastal communities worldwide.
Researchers from UConn and LSU found that insect declines in Puerto Rico may not be directly caused by global warming, but rather by increased hurricane frequency and intensity. Long-term data helped disentangle the effects of climate change and storm impacts on ecosystems.
A UVA-led team has developed a new approach to power grid planning that incorporates the impacts of hurricanes, reducing costs and emissions. The model simulates the likelihood and intensity of storms, allowing for more efficient infrastructure investments and projected average electricity costs.
Scientists have identified a novel skin disease in dolphins caused by climate change, with patchy and raised lesions covering up to 70% of their bodies. The study provides the first-ever case definition for freshwater skin disease in bottlenose dolphins.
A team of researchers from Nova Southeastern University has made a breakthrough in hurricane forecasting by identifying the impact of bio-surfactants on sea spray generation. This new phenomenon may contribute to improved intensity forecasts, which is crucial during pandemics like COVID-19.
Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology predict that 100-year and 500-year flood levels will become regular occurrences in Jamaica Bay, New York by the end of the century. Climate change is expected to lead to more intense and frequent storms, causing greater flooding even if storm intensity remains the same.
Researchers found higher abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes downstream of wastewater treatment plants, linked to human contamination. The study provides insights into the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in waterways after natural disasters.
A new disaster database, DesignSafe, is changing how planners prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The database features over 293 published data sets, including insights on earthquake impact, hurricane damage, and more.
A new study shows that warmer oceans cause hurricanes to weaken more slowly after making landfall, leading to more destruction inland. Researchers found that stored moisture is the key factor behind this phenomenon, allowing hurricanes to sustain themselves for longer.
A new open-source dataset has been created to provide county-level exposure numbers for tropical cyclones and human health. This tool will enable scientists to analyze multiple storms in different places and time periods, drilling down to see what happens in different health outcomes for people.
New research extends Florida's hurricane record thousands of years back in time, hinting at a surprise finding. The study found that the state's Gulf Coast is hit by more intense hurricanes than its East Coast, with ancient tempest deposits suggesting this pattern may extend thousands of years back.
A study found that infrared radiation trapped by deep clouds strengthens the storm's circulation, promoting moisture saturation and rotation. The phenomenon could help improve forecasting of destructive storms.
A new study published in Environmental Research Letters reveals that tropical cyclones have been moving faster across ocean basins since 1982, with the North Atlantic experiencing an increase in hurricane frequency. The researchers attribute this trend to a combination of natural and human-induced climate change.
Norbert regained tropical storm strength on Oct. 13, with estimated rainfall rates of up to 30mm/hour near its center. NASA's IMERG satellite product estimated rainfalls ranging from 5-15mm/hour throughout the storm.
Tropical Storm Delta made landfall in Louisiana, weakening to a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds near 25 mph. The NASA Terra satellite captured visible imagery of the storm's organization, which was compiled into an animation showing its landfall and movement.
Hurricane Delta is expected to produce significant flash, urban, and small stream flooding in Louisiana, with isolated maximum totals of 15 inches. NASA's satellite rainfall product estimated rainfall rates around the center of circulation as high as 50 mm per hour.
A new study found that including Arctic radiosonde data reduces uncertainty in forecasting hurricanes' tracks, particularly when upper-level troughs affect their movements. This improvement can lead to better preparation and mitigation of human casualties and socioeconomic losses caused by these storms.
Hurricane Delta showed enhanced convection near its center, but was obscured by a central dense overcast. The storm strengthened with maximum sustained winds reaching near 105 mph, and NASA provides data to tropical cyclone meteorologists for forecast purposes.
NASA's Aqua satellite gathered water vapor data on Hurricane Delta, revealing highest concentrations of water vapor and coldest cloud top temperatures around the center of circulation. The storm is expected to produce heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the northern Yucatan Peninsula.
Dry air is eroding Tropical Storm Norbert's strength by suppressing the development of thunderstorms that need warm, moist air to form. The storm has weakened due to entrainment of dry air, disrupting its compact system and limiting its ability to strengthen.
Hurricane Delta's cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating strong storms capable of creating heavy rain. The storm is expected to produce significant flash flooding and mudslides across the northern Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba.
A new study by Brown University researcher Dr. David Dosa found that the actual death toll among Florida nursing home residents after Hurricane Irma was more than double the CDC's reported number, with 262 additional deaths in 30 days and 433 more deaths at 90 days
A new study found Hurricane Irma resulted in 433 additional deaths among nursing home residents in Florida within 90 days, exceeding national averages by double
Tropical cyclones exhibit non-uniform strength, with stronger sides extending higher into the troposphere. NASA's AIRS instrument captured cloud top temperatures of -63°F, indicating a strong storm capable of heavy rain. The storm's structure has improved since Sunday, with deep convection and a more circular shape.