CATS Hurricane

Hurricane

Hurricane Module

Provides immediate real-time damage estimations
Uses observed and forecast data from NOAA's National Hurricane Center
Estimates wind damage probability levels for a wide range of structural types

CATS' Hurricane Wind Module is capable of estimating the population and civil resources at risk from threatening hurricanes, and CATS' Hurricane Tracking Module makes it possible for emergency managers to prepare their relief efforts before the hurricanes arrive. CATS' hurricane modules use maritime advisory messages from the National Hurricane Center, transmitted via the National Weather Service's Family of Services, to obtain the current and forecast positions and strengths of tropical storms. Using the information provided by these messages, the hurricane modules generate complete wind profiles (wind speed vs. distance from storm center) for the storm's current and forecast positions, and adjusts the profiles such that the gust velocity represents the maximum wind speed. The module then converts these wind profiles to dynamic pressure. Dynamic pressure is correlated to light, moderate, and severe levels of damage and is defined in terms of structural response modeling.

1) For every structure type the hurricane module illustrates which geographic areas can expect certain levels of damage. The hurricane module determines and displays damage bands where the current and forecast dynamic pressure of the storm is within the defined damage ranges. Sample output for a hurricane threatening the Dominican Republic is shown below.

Sample CATS Hurricane Model Run: Display of Spatial Distribution Probability of Severe Damage to Single Family Homes. Red, yellow, blue, and brown areas signify damage probabilities of >75%, >50%, >25%, and >0%, respectively.

2) Shown below is an example of acutal photographed damage from Hurricane Andrew (1992) to adjacent areas of single family homes and mobile homes. The difference in devestation characteristics demonstrates the need to be able to model damage to different structure types. Up to 25 structure types are accounted for in CATS.

Demonstration of Link Between Structure Type and Damage Level: Red, yellow, and blue damage bands represent severe, moderate, and light damage, respectively. The damage bands coincide with the projected track of Hurricane Andrew, whose image is shown in Doppler Radar. The photograph displays actual damage from the hurricane.

3) CATS then estimates the number of persons located within these affected areas. Also, CATS displays critical facilities that may be in these affected areas, or close enough to them to provide humanitarian assistance. An example is shown below.

Sample Data for Consequence Assessment: Displayed are actual hospitals in Santo Domingo which would be required to provide relief to persons suffering injuries from the hurricane.

Further, knowing the number of people and critical resources in the affected area, CATS calculates the amount of relief support needed, including the required number of meals, tents, cots, blankets, bottles of water, toilets, and other essential supplies.