You are watching: Which side of hurricane is the worst
Often our focus is ~ above the eye of the storm and also rightfully so. The "eyewall" region typically consists of the the strongest winds and also the most intense thunderstorms. Once a ar experiences the eyewall the a hurricane, over there is typically far-ranging damage in that place as viewed on ravaged Caribbean archipelago (The Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, and also others) that experienced the full force of category 5 Hurricane Irma. As an aside, ns am involved that these civilization have been somewhat forgotten in the restore effort, and also the report at this connect seems to indicate that my hunch is correct.In the joined States, the eyewall ruined much that the Florida secrets as well. FEMA manager Brock Long declared that 25% that the residences were destroyed, and media reports say the 90% of the dwellings are damaged.
As destructive as the eyewall region can be, the ideal side of the storm is really dangerous, too (all political parties are, frankly). The rainfall footprint the Irma from space is a an excellent place to start. The NASA an international Precipitation measure (GPM) mission is a satellite constellation that measures rainfall from space. I served as Deputy task Scientist because that GPM throughout my time at NASA Goddard room Flight Center. In the photo above, it is clear that the greatest rainfall totals were to the appropriate of the storm track end Florida. Studies have shown that rainfall totals are typically greater ~ above the ideal side that the storm. NOAA"s Weather Prediction center website points out outcomes from a examine by Rusty Prost the found,
maximum rainfall was commonly a little to the east of the storm.....The preferably rainfall usually falls within the eyewall or v the spiral bands and occur whereby the frictional convergence is maximized ~ above the eastern side that the storm....some storms are extremely asymmetric and also have much more convection ~ above the west side of the storm 보다 the east. Others might be very sheared with many of your convection situated well east of the center.
A 2011 evaluation of Hurricanes Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne released in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres likewise found the rainfall amounts tended to it is in maximized to the ideal of the track. Friction is only part of the story though.A 2006 study in Monthly Weather Reviewfound that wind shear is the dominant factor in rainfall asymmetry over a particular magnitude, yet storm motion becomes an ext dominant listed below that threshold.
Tropical Storm Harvey created over 50 customs of rainfall in parts of Texas. As the hurricane make landfall, the eyewall region was an extremely destructive to locations like Rockport, Texas. However, much of the flooding rainfall in Houston, Beaumont, and Louisiana come from rainbands with "training" storms relocating over the same ar continuously for days.
It is probably far better understood the the storm surge and also tornadoes threats are higher in the right-front quadrant the landfalling hurricanes. The graphic above from the nationwide Hurricane center provides fantastic discussion the what causes storm surge and also why it is maximized on the best side the the storm.Even with Irma, the storm resulted in a far-ranging amount of storm surge for Jacksonville, Florida, Charleston, southern Carolina, and seaside Georgia also though the remnants that the storm facility were to the west the the region.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 11: The St. Johns river rises from storm surge flood waters from... <+> Hurricane Irma on September 11, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. Flooding in downtown Jacksonville along the flow topped a record collection during Hurricane Dora in 1965. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Tornadoes (and waterspouts) are an extremely common with landfalling hurricanes and also are mainly in the right-front quadrant in the northern Hemisphere. By the way, in the southern Hemisphere, everything that ns am saying around right-front becomes left-front as result of the opposite feeling of rotation. Wind shear dram a duty in hurricane-induced tornadoes, which have tendency to be weaker (but tho dangerous) than great Plains type tornadoes. NOAA has fantastic discussion on why they type on that is website,
Because the instability in tropic cyclones is focused at low altitudes, the storm cells often tend to it is in smaller and shallower than those usually uncovered in most severe midlatitude systems. But because the vertical shear in tropical cyclones is additionally very solid at low altitudes, the mix of instability and shear can become favorable for the manufacturing of tiny supercell storms, which have an intensified likelihood of spawning tornadoes compared to ordinary thunderstorm cells
The rainbands, where tornadoes have tendency to it is in prevalent, rotating onto the "rougher" land surface provides extr low-level shear. The instability the the atmosphere (i.e., just how likely a balloon or package of wait is to increase on its own because it is warmer (buoyant) 보다 the neighboring air) is additionally important. Ironically, Irma developed tornadoes in Florida, however in Georgia where I live, the tornado danger was rather minimized due to the fact that there was not very much instability. Unfortunately, we still bore the brunt that winds, downed trees, and power outages.
I personally spoke with countless friends and also relatives living follow me the East coast of Florida that were tormented through the constant tornado warnings as Irma moved up the western side of the peninsula. Similar to the rainfall and surge threat, it to be a lively reminder the the dangers of a hurricane are not simply near the eyewall. Ns encourage the media and also stakeholders to proceed driving home this point going forward.
Tornado/waterspout signatures on radar throughout Irma top top Sunday. Victor Gensini and also GRlevelX
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Marshall Shepherd
Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a leading international professional in weather and also climate, to be the 2013 president of American Meteorological culture (AMS) and is director of the college of Georgia’s (UGA) Atmospheric scientific researches Program. Dr. Shepherd is the Georgia athletic Association distinguished Professor and also hosts The Weather Channel’s Weather Geeks Podcast, which can be discovered at every podcast outlets. Prior to UGA, Dr. Shepherd spent 12 years as a study Meteorologist at NASA-Goddard an are Flight Center and also was Deputy task Scientist because that the global Precipitation measure (GPM) mission. In 2004, he to be honored in ~ the White residence with a call PECASE award. He also has received significant honors native the American Meteorological Society, American association of Geographers, and the Captain planet Foundation. Shepherd is typically sought together an experienced on weather and also climate by significant media outlets, the White House, and also Congress. He has over 80 peer-reviewed academic publications and also numerous editorials. Dr. Shepherd obtained his B.S., M.S. And also PhD in physics meteorology indigenous Florida State University.