A fiscally-based scale for tropical cyclone storm surge
- Author
- Walker, Amanda
- Additional Titles
- Fiscally based scale for tropical cyclone storm surge
- Published
- [University Park, Pennsylvania] : Pennsylvania State University, 2017.
- Physical Description
- 1 electronic document
- Additional Creators
- Titley, David
Access Online
- etda.libraries.psu.edu , Connect to this object online.
- Graduate Program
- Restrictions on Access
- Open Access.
- Summary
- Categorization of storm surge, particularly with the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (SSHS), had been a useful way to communicate potential impacts for decades. However, following Katrina (2005) storm surge was removed from the SSHS, resulting in no concise method to communicate storm surge risk despite its significant impacts to both life and property. This study seeks to create a new storm surge scale based on observed data for quick, simple, and clear communication. The proposed scale combines ideas from two well known scales: the SSHS and the Richter Scale. From the SSHS, the link to tangible impacts is used, but with a fiscal loss basis instead of a physical damage one. From the Richter Scale, the logarithmic nature is used to solve saturation issues at the higher end, its intuitive nature is used for ease of understanding, and the added decimal places are used for extra fiscal loss estimate precision. Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) model simulation output data of storm surge height and velocity were obtained for four storms: Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Ike, and Superstorm Sandy. Storm surge velocity has not been previously used in past scale attempts but is explored here. Four fiscal loss methods were explored on a countywide level. The first three methods used a combination of National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Storm Events Database (SED) property damages and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) population, per capita personal income, or total income. The fourth method used a combination of National Flood Insurance Program total coverage and paid claims. Correlations between the two proposed storm surge variables and each of the fiscal loss methods indicated that the mode of storm surge data above the 90th percentile had the best results. This method of storm surge representation was chosen for the proposed scale. Multiple linear regression then determined the choice of storm surge variables and fiscal loss method. The proposed storm surge scale, named the Kuykendall or K-Scale, was calculated using the multiple linear regression analysis in the previous step. Comparison with the real data of the four storms shows good overall correlation to reported damage. This study demonstrates the Kuykendall Scales significant potential for future use in the operational and academic worlds.
- Other Subject(s)
- Genre(s)
- Dissertation Note
- M.S. Pennsylvania State University, 2017.
- Technical Details
- The full text of the dissertation is available as an Adobe Acrobat .pdf file ; Adobe Acrobat Reader required to view the file.
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