Florida, Tsunamis, and YouFlorida, Tsunamis, and You
The word tsunami is Japanese meaning harbor wave
soo-NAH-mee
Daniel Noah Warning Coordination Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office - Ruskin, FL
What is a Tsunami?What is a Tsunami?
A series of long waves created by a disturbance that displaces a large amount of water. Primarily associated with earthquakes in oceanic or
coastal regions. Landslides, volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions, and
even impacts from objects from outer space (such as meteorites, asteroids, and comets)
Wind Waves vs. TsunamisWind Waves vs. Tsunamis
Wind Generated Waves
Tsunami Waves
5-20 seconds betweenwaves 300-600 ft wave length
10 minutes to 2 hours between waves Wave length can begreater than 300 miles
What Happens at the What Happens at the Coastline?Coastline?
May appear as a rapidly rising or falling tide, a series of breaking waves, or even a bore
Strong currents and debris carried by wave add to destructive nature of this inundating flood
December 26, 2004
Phuket, Thailand TsunamiPhuket, Thailand Tsunami
Photos by German Tourist Hellmut Issels
December 26, 2004
Phuket, Thailand TsunamiPhuket, Thailand Tsunami
Photos by German Tourist Hellmut Issels
December 26, 2004
Phuket, Thailand TsunamiPhuket, Thailand Tsunami
Photos by German Tourist Hellmut Issels
December 26, 2004
Phuket, Thailand TsunamiPhuket, Thailand Tsunami
Photos by German Tourist Hellmut Issels
Tsunami SafetyTsunami Safety
Tsunami SafetyTsunami SafetyAll Hazards NOAA Weather RadioAll Hazards NOAA Weather Radio
Warns of natural and man made hazards Alerts you even when you’re sleeping New radios can be programmed just for your
county
Tsunami Safety RulesTsunami Safety RulesFor those on the beachFor those on the beach
If you feel the earth shake, move immediately to higher ground, DO NOT wait for a tsunami warning to be announced. Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean if there is a tsunami.
Tsunami Safety RulesTsunami Safety RulesFor those on the waterFor those on the water
Do not return to port when a Tsunami Warning has been issued Tsunamis can cause dangerous currents in harbors
and ports
If you have time, move your vessel to deep water
Contact the harbor authority to verify conditions are safe before returning
Tsunami Safety RulesTsunami Safety RulesFor those on landFor those on land
Evacuate your house if you live in a hurricane storm surge zone Evacuate vertically if you do not have time to leave the surge zone, move to the highest floor or to the roof Follow the advice of local emergency management and law enforcement officials
For More InformationFor More Information
http://tsunami.gov
Causes of TsunamisCauses of Tsunamis
Causes of TsunamisCauses of Tsunamis
•Usually by earthquakes •Less commonly by landslides (into the water and completely below the water) •Infrequently by volcanic eruptions or explosive decompression of underwater methane deposits •Very rarely by a large meteorite impact in the ocean
Earthquake ThreatEarthquake Threat
Blue = Mid-Ocean Ridges Red = Subduction Zone
EarthquakesEarthquakes
Anthony Liekens
Tsunamis are created when:
•Seafloor quickly changes shape
•Water is displaced
•Waves are formed as the displaced water mass tries to move back
Tsunami AnimationTsunami Animation
Tsunami Animation, Tsunami Animation, 12/26/0412/26/04
Earthquake 9.0 on Richter Scale near Earthquake 9.0 on Richter Scale near SumatraSumatra
Over 160,000 fatalities
Earthquake & Volcano Earthquake & Volcano ThreatThreat
Active VolcanoesEarthquakes
Tsunami Risk by RegionTsunami Risk by Region1848-19981848-1998
O�Loughlin & Lander
Florida’s Risk of TsunamisFlorida’s Risk of Tsunamis
Tsunami Risk in FloridaTsunami Risk in Florida
•Florida’s Atlantic Coast •Puerto Rico Trench•Cumbre Vieja Volcano in Canary Islands •1755 Lisbon Earthquake •Azores-Gibraltar fracture zone
•Florida’s Gulf Coast and Keys •Puerto Rico Trench (minor effect as wave wraps around islands) •Large Meteorite into Gulf of Mexico
Puerto Rico TrenchPuerto Rico Trench
Michael Count
Regional Plate Tectonics Regional Plate Tectonics
Michael Count
Slope Failure in the TrenchSlope Failure in the Trench
Michael Count
Cause of 1918 TsunamiCause of 1918 Tsunami
Michael
Count
Earthquake, 7.5 on Richter Scale
Tsunami PropagationTsunami Propagation
Michael
Count
0 min 2 min 6 min 9 min
Run-up ValuesRun-up Values
Michael
Count
Tsunami DevastationTsunami Devastation
•Report of large withdrawal of water exposing unseen sediment before tsunami struck the shore
•Wave run-up of approximately 20 feet
•116 Deaths
•Water traveled 100 meters inland in low lying areas, destroying villages and buildings
Michael
Count
Cumbre Vieja Volcano in Canary Cumbre Vieja Volcano in Canary IslandsIslands
Benfield Hazard Research Centre of the University College London
Worst case scenario Wave height in meters
1755 Lisbon Earthquake1755 Lisbon Earthquake
Azores-Gibraltar Fracture Azores-Gibraltar Fracture ZoneZone
Lisbon Tsunami Travel Lisbon Tsunami Travel TimesTimes
Dr. Charles Mader, http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1755Lisbon.html
Florida�s Atlantic Coast ��7-8 hour arrival time ��Estimated 7-10 foot ��Waves every 90 min
Tsunamis vs. Rogue Tsunamis vs. Rogue WavesWaves
Tsunamis vs. Rogue WavesTsunamis vs. Rogue Waves
Rogue waves are different the Tsunamis but the end result is similar. Rogue Wave Characteristics
•Unpredictable nature •Little is know about the formation •May be caused by regularly-spaced ocean swells that are magnified by currents or the atmosphere
Daytona Beach Rogue WaveDaytona Beach Rogue WaveJuly 3, 1992 at 11:30 PM EDTJuly 3, 1992 at 11:30 PM EDT
50 MPH wind gust at peakof storm
10:35 PM EDT
11:35 PM EDT
Daytona Beach Rogue WaveDaytona Beach Rogue WaveJuly 3, 1992July 3, 1992
•10 ft rise at the beach at 11:30 PM EDT •75 minor injuries •About 36 vehicles damaged •Swamped shoreline for 30 miles, worst wasfive miles of shoreline near Daytona Beach
Tampa to Naples Rogue Tampa to Naples Rogue WaveWave
March 25, 1995March 25, 1995
00 UTC 10 UTC
Tampa to Naples Rogue Tampa to Naples Rogue WaveWave
March 25, 1995March 25, 1995
•Strong outgoing tide at the mouth of TampaBay before an 11 foot rise around 9 AM EST •Tide was 1 to 4 feet above normal south of Tampa Bay to Naples (124 miles of shoreline) •Carried stingrays and jellyfish on thebeach causing people to flee •Wave broke about 1 mile offshore
How Often Can We How Often Can We Expect Tsunamis & Rogue Expect Tsunamis & Rogue
WavesWaves
However, Eastern U.S. has had 40 tsunamis/rogue waves in the last 400 years or an average of one coastal flood event every 10 years
Lockridge, Whiteside, and Lander
�� Only one Atlantic-wide Tsunami documented(the 1755 Lisbon earthquake)
One or two tsunamis each century along the east coast of the U.S.
Tsunamis Detection & Tsunamis Detection & WarningWarning
How Do We Detect How Do We Detect TsunamisTsunamisDeep-ocean Assessment and Reporting on TsunamisDeep-ocean Assessment and Reporting on Tsunamis
DART Buoy
DART BuoyDART Buoy
Proposed DART Buoy Proposed DART Buoy LocationsLocations
NWS Tsunami Warning NWS Tsunami Warning CentersCenters
The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska
Alaska south to California� U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Hawaii A national/international warning center for tsunamis that
pose a Pacific-wide threat.� Caribbean
Tsunami Warning ProcessTsunami Warning ProcessU.S. East Coast & Gulf of MexicoU.S. East Coast & Gulf of Mexico
Interim Method
•The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (ATWC) issues a Tsunami Warning if earthquake 7+ on Richter Scale on/near� a coast
•NWS office in Melbourne, FL receives warning via fax and phone call from the ATWC.
•NWS Melbourne disseminates warning to coastal NWS Offices via the dedicated Hurricane Hotline
•Affected coastal NWS Offices issue a Coastal Flood Warning that triggers
•All Hazards NOAA Weather Radios •Emergency Alert System •Statement transmitted over �weather wire� to emergency management officials and the media
Tsunami Warning StatisticsTsunami Warning Statistics��Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, AKTsunami Warning Center in Palmer, AK
Warnings are issued within 15 minutes of earthquake and are based solely on seismic data
The average response time was 6.8 minutes in 2003
Since 1981, 11 regional tsunami warnings have been issued by the WC/ATWC
How can I find out if there is How can I find out if there is
a tsunami warning program a tsunami warning program in my county? in my county?
Thank you!
StormReady & StormReady & TsunamiReadyTsunamiReady
A National Weather Service Program to Protect A National Weather Service Program to Protect LivesLives
http://www.stormready.noaa.gov
What is StormReady?What is StormReady?
A NWS program for our communities to improve communication and hazardous weather preparedness
Provides community leaders and emergency managers with guidance on how to improve warning and weather preparedness programs
Why Do We Need Why Do We Need StormReady?StormReady?
Nearly 90% of all Presidentially declared disasters are weather related
On average there are 500 weather related deaths each year across America
Severe weather causes near $14 Billion in property damage each year. Four hurricanes in 2004 caused $42 Billion!
What is What is TsunamiReadyTsunamiReady??
•A part of the NWS StormReady Program •A collaborative effort between federal, state, and local emergency management, and the public•A method to improve public safety during tsunami emergencies
TsunamiReady ObjectivesTsunamiReady Objectives
��Create minimum standard community Create minimum standard community guidelines for adequate tsunami readiness guidelines for adequate tsunami readiness ���Encourage consistency in educational Encourage consistency in educational materials and response materials and response ���Recognize communities that have adopted Recognize communities that have adopted TsunamiReady guidelines TsunamiReady guidelines ���Increase public awareness and Increase public awareness and understanding of the tsunami hazardunderstanding of the tsunami hazard
Thank You!Thank You!
