Florida, Tsunamis, and YouFlorida, Tsunamis, and You

The word “tsunami” is Japanese meaning “harbor wave”

soo-NAH-mee

Daniel NoahWarning 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 RidgesRed = 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

# of Tsunamis6 5 2 8

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 WavesTsunamis vs. Rogue Waves

Tsunamis vs. Rogue WavesTsunamis vs. Rogue Waves

Rogue waves are different the Tsunamis butthe 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?

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 readinessguidelines 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!