Chapter
Dec 31, 2015
A Process-Response Model for Hurricane Washovers
Authors: John R. Suter, Dag Nummedal, Amy K. Maynard, and Paul KempAuthor Affiliations
Publication: Coastal Engineering 1982
Abstract
The passage of Hurricane Allen over Padre Island in August 1980 presented an excellent opportunity to study the effects and controls of coastal morphology on hurricane deposits. In the Caribbean Sea, Hurricane Allen achieved a central pressure of 899 mb, making it the second strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Once in the Gulf of Mexico, the storm approached the Texas coast from the east-southeast, building a significant storm surge. Near Brownsville, the storm stalled, spending much of its energy offshore before making landfall early on August 10th near Brazos Santiago Pass at the southern tip of Padre Island.
Surge gauges show that peak recorded storm tides of about 3 m occurred at Port Mansfield, some 35 km north of landfall. Analysis of tide data indicates a time lag of some 14 hours on the rising storm tide between the Gulf and south Laguna Madre. This is due both to the limited tidal exchange across Padre Island and to set-down in the lagoon due to southward-directed cyclonic winds. By contrast, measurements taken in Corpus Christi Bay, some 180 km north of landfall, show that at that point Gulf and bay tides were in phase. The cross-barrier water level differential at South Padre Island (up to 1.5 m) greatly facilitated hurricane breaching of the island.
Oblique and vertical aerial photography show that Padre Island was breached in many places, with about 40 major hurricane channels still open several days after the storm. Surge heights were sufficient to inundate all of South Padre Island except for isolated "dune islands" resulting in broad and often coalescing washover deposits. The more continuous dune ridge on North Padre Island resulted in smaller, discrete washovers. Intensity, distribution, and morphology of washovers are functions of storm tide elevation, its phase relationships, island topography, and lagoonal water depth. The relationship is complex, yet precise enough to permit prediction of the island's response to the impact of a given storm.
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Published In
Coastal Engineering 1982
Pages: 1459 - 1478
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© 1982 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Published online: Dec 31, 2015
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Authors
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John R. Suter
Department of Geology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
Dag Nummedal
Department of Geology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
Amy K. Maynard
Department of Geology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
Paul Kemp
Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
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