Coastal hazards affect millions of people each year in U.S. coastal areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center has developed a number of tools and methods to help predict, assess, and understand these dangerous events.
On-Line Hurricane Information for Coastal Officials
Coastal officials know the importance of time-sensitive, accurate information when it comes to managing the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms. The On-Line Hurricane Information for Coastal Officials Web site provides data, tools, and maps that can be used for this purpose. A downloadable poster—organized in the categories of before, during, and after a storm—highlights some of the interesting and useful weather-related Internet resources.
Coastal Storms Program
Through this program, all of NOAA's capabilities are brought together to focus on easing the impacts of storms on a particular coastal region or community. The pilot effort took place in Florida—with similar efforts underway in Oregon and Southern California. Although the information is focused on specific regions, the tools and data sets are designed to be used by other coastal communities in similar situations. Products developed through regional projects cover a variety of storm-related issues, such as community risk and vulnerability assessment, flood response, and improved weather forecasting.
Hurricane Planning and Impact Assessment Reports
This Web site provides more than 60 documents covering several aspects of hurricanes—including post-storm assessments, planning and response, evacuation planning and studies, and general information. Users can view a report summary, download a report, or order the hard copy document.
Risk and Vulnerability Assessments
Through risk and vulnerability assessments, local and state officials can determine the impacts of coastal hazards on natural resources, people, and property. Assessment results are used to develop, prioritize, and utilize mitigation strategies. This Web site provides information about all facets of risk and vulnerability assessments and includes interactive mapping, techniques and applications, and a customizable, one-day training course for coastal managers.
Coastal Inundation Visualization Tool
This tool helps to identify property that is susceptible to coastal erosion by using near-real-time ocean observation data to calculate and visualize wave run-up and total water levels along the shoreline. The tool was developed for a 30-mile stretch of sandy shoreline in Tillamook County, Oregon, but could be applied in other coastal regions with similar environmental conditions to evaluate the potential for erosion.
Tutuila Hazard Assessment Tool (T-HAT)
T-HAT is an Internet mapping tool developed for Tutuila Island in American Samoa. Users can locate their area of interest and determine the potential risk for natural hazards such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis. The tool was created to help the island prepare for and mitigate the negative effects of these events. As long as relevant data are available, the model developed for T-HAT can be used for other Pacific islands.
