Hurricane disturbance mapping using MODIS EVI data in the southeastern Yucatán, Mexico

Abstract

This letter evaluated the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 m Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) standard product data (MOD/MYD13Q1 C5) to map the damage caused by Hurricane Dean (August 2007) to the forests in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico using a two-step vetting procedure. Sequences of MODIS EVI 16-day composite products captured before and after the hurricane were compared against 93 field damage plots to select an appropriate set of pre- and post-damage data. Aqua pairwise combinations produced the highest damage detection overall accuracy compared with Terra (82.4% vs. 73.8%, respectively) because of advantageous timing of the Aqua EVI compositing, relative to the hurricane event. The most accurate EVI damage map (91.4% overall) revealed highest damage detection in Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale zone 5 (i.e. wind speed >248 km h−1, i.e. 95%), followed by 93% in zone 4 (210–249 km h−1) and 87% in zone 3 (178–209 km h−1). Results indicate that MODIS EVI products provide timely and accurate maps of hurricane damage in subtropical forests.