Town of williamsburg
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
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- Location
- Extent
- Previous Occurrences
- No hurricanes have tracked directly through Williamsburg.
- Impact
- Vulnerability
3.3 Hurricanes and Tropical StormsHazard DescriptionHurricanes are classified as cyclones and defined as any closed circulation developing around a low-pressure center in which the winds rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (or clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) and with a diameter ranging from 10 to 30 miles. The primary damaging forces associated with hurricanes are high-level sustained winds and heavy precipitation. Hurricanes are violent rainstorms with strong winds that can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and which generate large amounts of precipitation. Hurricanes generally occur between June and November and can result in flooding and wind damage to structures and above-ground utilities. In Western Massachusetts, which is 80 to 100 miles inland from the Atlantic Coast, hurricanes may degrade to tropical storms by the time they reach the region; nonetheless, impacts in some cases are similar to hurricanes. LocationBecause of the widespread and regional nature of hurricane damage, all of Williamsburg is considered to be at risk from hurricanes. This means that the location of the hazard occurrence is “large,” or more than 50% of land area is likely to be affected. Ridge tops, in particular, are more susceptible to wind damage. Areas susceptible to flooding are also likely to be affected by the heavy rainfall that typically accompanies hurricanes and tropical storms. ExtentAs an incipient hurricane develops, barometric pressure (measured in millibars or inches) at its center falls and winds increase. If the atmospheric and oceanic conditions are favorable, it can intensify into a tropical depression. When maximum sustained winds reach or exceed 39 miles per hour, the system is designated a tropical storm, given a name, and is closely monitored by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. When sustained winds reach or exceed 74 miles per hour, the storm is deemed a hurricane. Hurricane intensity is further classified by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which rates hurricane wind intensity on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most intense.
Source: National Hurricane Center, 2012 Previous OccurrencesHurricanes and tropical storms that have affected Williamsburg are shown below. (“Super Storm Sandy” in 2012 was not considered a hurricane or tropical storm, as it did not meet the meteorological criteria for having a warmer temperature at its core; nonetheless, the storm was significant in Williamsburg.)
Source: National Weather Service No hurricanes have tracked directly through Williamsburg.Probability of Future EventsWilliamsburg’s location in western Massachusetts reduces the risk of extremely high winds that are associated with hurricanes, although it can experience some high wind events. Based upon past occurrences, it is reasonable to say that there is a “low” probability of hurricanes in Williamsburg, or a 1 to 10% probability in the next year. ImpactA description of the damages that could occur due to a hurricane is described by the Saffir-Simpson scale, as shown below.
Source: “Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale” NOAA National Climatic Data Center https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov Note: The Saffir Scale uses “5” as its most severe category; this is the inverse of the Hazard Index Ratings used in this plan, in which “1” is the most severe. To approximate the potential impact to property and people that could be affected by this hazard, the total value of all property of $310,064,300 is used. Wind damage of 5% to 10% of structures would result in an estimated $1,550,322 of damage. Flood damage of 10% to 20% of structures would result in $6,201,286 of damage. The cost of repairing or replacing the roads, bridges, utilities, and contents of structures is not included in this estimate. VulnerabilityBased on the above analysis, Williamsburg faces a hazard index rating of “2 - High Risk” from hurricanes and tropical storms. Directory: Pages Pages -> The Project Gutenberg ebook of The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended Pages -> Regional Association IV (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) Hurricane Operational Plan Pages -> Review of the ra IV hurricane operational plan Pages -> Cyclone programme Pages -> World meteorological organization Download 0.62 Mb. Share with your friends:
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