IBHS Hurricane Katrina Storm Surge and Wind Speed Estimates

Problem Statement and Objectives

The open coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama needed a system to help estimate a hurricanes damage and the effects it would have on the coastlines of the southern United States. ARA was asked to help generate estimations of storm damage, storm surge heights, wave heights, and wind speeds.

• Use HURSURGE and HURWIND computer models to produce results
  
• Create maps of inundated areas, maps of wind speeds, and maps of wave heights over the flooded portion of the coast
  
• Produce time series of wind speeds, wave heights, and flood depths at a number of locations to aid in the determination of the sequence of wind vs. flood damage

Results and Benefits
Computer models of wind and flood damage were validated through comparisons to observed flood and wind data.

Hurricane Katrina flood depths and wind speeds.

Related

• Natural hazard threat and vulnerability assessment
  
• Modeling and simulation