Abstract
Over one-third of the Earth’s population resides or works within 200 km of the coast. The increasing threat of coastal hazards with predicted climate change will impact many global citizens. Coastal dune systems serve as a natural first line of defense against rising sea levels and coastal storms. This study investigated the volumetric changes of two dune systems on Isle of Palms, South Carolina, USA prior to and following Hurricanes Irma (2017) and Florence (2018), which impacted the island as tropical storms with different characteristics. Irma had relatively high significant wave heights and precipitation, resulting in an average 39% volumetric dune loss. During Florence, a storm where precipitation was low and winds were moderate, net volumetric dune loss averaged 3%. The primary driving force causing dune change during Irma was water (precipitation and storm surge), and during Florence, it was wind (aeolian transport). We suggest that the application of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale classifications should be reconsidered because different geomorphic responses were measured, despite Irma and Florence both being designated as tropical storms. Site-specific pre- and post-storm studies of the dune morphology and site-specific meteorological measurements of the storm (wind characteristics, storm surge, precipitation) are critically needed.
Highlights
3.2 billion people either live or work within 200 km of a coastline [1]
General assumptions are made about tropical storm intensities and the associated, potential dune damage
The pre- and post-storm morphologic data (Table 2, Figures 5–8) from two dune sites on Isle of Palms, SC related to two tropical storms (Irma and Florence) suggest that the general assumptions are misguided because dramatically different geomorphic responses were measured, and these were the same storm category
Summary
3.2 billion people either live or work within 200 km of a coastline [1]. It is estimated that more than 200 million people are under threat of extreme sea-level events resulting from coastal storms [2] During these storms, the beach-dune system serves as a natural defense mechanism for the coastline, which is threatened worldwide by storm-induced erosion [3]. Specific to South Carolina, a 25% volumetric loss and a 9% volumetric gain at 14th and 56th Avenues, respectively, was measured on Isle of Palms following Hurricane Hugo (1989) [28] These surveys were approximately 250 m in shore-perpendicular length (to −1.5 m MSL), and covered the dune, beach, and a portion of the nearshore bar system [28]. This study reports field-based geomorphic assessments of two dune systems on Isle of Palms, SC, USA, before and after Hurricanes Irma (2017) and Florence (2018) These data are used to determine the storm-based volumetric changes.
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