Storm Surge and Marine Safety
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
800 AM CDT MON MAY 26 2008
…HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TWO…STORM SURGE AND MARINE SAFETY…
HURRICANES ARE SOMETIMES CALLED THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH. STRONG
WINDS…HIGH WATER AND WAVES ARE PERHAPS THE MOST VISUAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS SHOW. THE STORM SURGE AND HIGH WAVES ARE
MOST DESTRUCTIVE TO COASTAL FACILITIES AND CAN CAUSE TREMENDOUS
COASTAL EROSION.
BECAUSE OF THE SHALLOW COASTAL WATERS OFF THE UPPER TEXAS AND
LOUISIANA COASTS…STORM SURGES WILL BE HIGHER FOR A TROPICAL
STORM OR HURRICANE MAKING LANDFALL VERSES THE SAME STORM HITTING
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. AS PROVEN DURING HURRICANES AUDREY AND
RITA…THE STORM SURGE CAN REACH TO OVER 15 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS. WIND WAVES WILL MAKE THE EFFECTIVE WATER LEVEL EVEN HIGHER.
HISTORICALLY…THE STORM SURGE WAS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATH FROM
HURRICANES. HOWEVER…IN THE UNITED STATES…IMPROVED NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EVACUATIONS
HAVE REDUCED THESE NUMBERS. WITH INCREASING POPULATION ALONG
COASTLINE…THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DUE TO
STORM SURGE STILL REMAINS GREAT…AS WAS THE CASE DURING KATRINA.
THIS POTENTIAL IS INCREASED WHEN WARNINGS AND EVACUATION ORDERS
ARE NOT HEEDED.
INCREASING MARINE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS OIL AND GAS PLATFORMS AND
MARINERS ARE AT AN EVEN GREATER RISK DURING HURRICANES. EVERY GULF
FACILITY AND MARINER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE OFFICIAL TROPICAL
CYCLONE FORECAST AND ADVISORY MESSAGES WHEN STORMS ARE ACTIVE.
THESE PRODUCTS SHOULD BE USED IN EVALUATING AND MAKING SOUND
NAVIGATION AND PLATFORM EVACUATION DECISIONS.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING STORM SURGE…PLEASE CHECK OUT
PAGES 6-9 OF THE 2008 SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS
HURRICANE AND MARINE GUIDE…AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FROM THE LAKE
CHARLES WEBPAGE AT (USE LOWER CASE):
HTTP://WWW.SRH.WEATHER.GOV/LCH
High Winds and Tornadoes
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
800 AM CDT TUE MAY 27 2008
…HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS THREE…HIGH WINDS AND TORNADOES…
THE HURRICANE DANGER DOES NOT STOP AT THE WATER’S EDGE. DESTRUCTION
CAN BE FELT WELL INLAND. THERE ARE UNIQUE PROBLEMS FACED BY THOSE
LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE GULF OF MEXICO.
ONE PROBLEM IS TRANSPORTATION. IN ADDITION TO A LACK OF HIGH CAPACITY
HIGHWAYS RUNNING NORTH, THE ABILITY TO EVACUATE WILL BE HAMPERED BY
EXPOSURE OF HIGH BRIDGES TO STRONG WINDS AHEAD OF THE STORM.
EXPECT HIGH AND EXPOSED BRIDGES TO BE CLOSED BY THE TIME GALE FORCE
WINDS ARE EXPECTED. SUCH BRIDGES INCLUDE THE RAINBOW BRIDGE AT BRIDGE
CITY, THE I-10 AND I-210 BRIDGES OVER THE CALCASIEU RIVER AT LAKE
CHARLES, AND THE I-10 BRIDGE AT THE SABINE RIVER ON THE TEXAS-
LOUISIANA LINE.
ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE ABUNDANCE OF LARGE TREES WITH SHALLOW ROOT
SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION TO ROAD CLOSURES AND POWER OUTAGES, THESE TREES
POSE A THREAT TO CRASH DOWN ON YOUR DWELLING. THIS CAUSED A LOT OF
DAMAGE TO OUR AREA DURING RITA.
TALL BUILDINGS ARE SUBJECT TO MORE DAMAGE THAN STRUCTURES CLOSER TO
THE GROUND. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT THE WINDS CAN INCREASE BY A
CATEGORY NUMBER FOR BUILDINGS OF MORE THAN TEN STORIES. AS SHOWN IN
HOUSTON DURING HURRICANE ALICIA IN AUGUST OF 1983…BROKEN GLASS CAN
BE A MAJOR PROBLEM.
DEBRIS SUCH AS SIGNS, ROOFING MATERIAL, AND SMALL ITEMS LEFT OUTSIDE
BECOME FLYING MISSILES IN HURRICANES. GRAVEL USED FOR LANDSCAPING CAN
BE DANGEROUS. A BROKEN WINDOW CAN COMPROMISE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
OF YOUR HOME. THIS IS WHY WINDOW SHUTTERS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR
PREPAREDNESS KIT.
NO MANUFACTURED HOME IS SAFE IN HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. THOSE
RESIDENTS SHOULD EVACUATE TO A SAFER STRUCTURE ONCE LOCAL OFFICIALS
ISSUE A HURRICANE EVACUATION ORDER OR RECOMMENDATION FOR THEIR
COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, AS A HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM MAKES LANDFALL, TORNADOES
TYPICALLY DEVELOP OVER INLAND AREAS. THESE TORNADOES ARE USUALLY
EMBEDDED WITHIN RAINBANDS WELL AWAY FROM THE STORM CENTER…BUT NOT
ALWAYS. THESE TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO DETECT BECAUSE THEY ARE SO
SHALLOW…AND THERE MAY BE LITTLE OR NO WARNING. TREAT RAIN SQUALLS
AS POTENTIAL TORNADO PRODUCERS AND GO TO AN INNER ROOM OR A BASEMENT
WITH EACH APPROACH. BESIDES TORNADOES…SQUALLS FROM RAINBANDS CAN
PRODUCE GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING HIGH WINDS AND TORNADOES…
PLEASE CHECK OUT PAGES 9-10 OF THE 2008 SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND
SOUTHEAST TEXAS HURRICANE AND MARINE GUIDE…AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
FROM THE LAKE CHARLES WEBPAGE AT (USE LOWER CASE):