hindcast varied between a high of 1 .43 m in November to a low of 0.77 m in August. Most 

 prevalent wave periods fall in the range of 7 to 13 sec, and the predominant wave directions are 

 NNE (expected in winter) and ESE (expected in summer). The WIS database was accessed to 

 conduct calculations of storm-induced beach change at the properties of the two test plaintiffs. 



2.3.3. Storms 



The East Coast of the United States is subject to tropical cyclones (hurricanes and tropical 

 storms) and extratropical storms (northeasters). The National Hurricane Center has compiled a 

 record of tropical cyclone activity for the North Atlantic since 1886. In contrast, northeaster 

 storms that have impacted Florida beaches were not well documented until around the mid- 

 1960s. Lack of documentation is attributed to the minimal coastal development in Florida prior 

 to the 1960s and the lack of assets that would be threatened by storms. Only the more severe 

 regional-impacting northeast storms have been documented from the 1930s through the 1950s. 

 Figure 2-6 displays the frequency of tropical storms per year that have been documented as 

 erosional to Brevard County beaches. Northeasters are not included in this figure because their 

 recorded history is not as long, and the limited record would bias discussion of storm-impact 

 frequency before and after construction of Canaveral Harbor. The present study does document 

 major northeasters that have struck Brevard County beaches. 



The most significant erosional tropical cyclones to impact the Brevard County coast include 

 Hurricane Greta in October 1956, Hurricane Ella in October 1962, Tropical Storm Gilda in 

 October 1973, Hurricane David in August 1979, Tropical Storm Gordon in November 1994, and 

 Hurricane Erin in July 1995. Known storms that have impacted the Brevard County coast and 

 caused notable erosion are listed in Appendix C. 



Some of the most significant erosional northeasters occurred in December 1932, March 1962, 

 February 1973, November 1984 (the "Thanksgiving Day" storm), and March 1989. For the East 

 Coast of Florida, the Thanksgiving Day storm of 1984 is considered to be the most severe 

 extratropical storm of record, with much property damage and beach and dune erosion reported 

 in Brevard County. Northeasters are usually associated with high waves and moderately strong 

 winds that can persist for several days, whereas the erosive force of tropical storms usually does 

 not persist more than a day, typically having a duration on the coast of only several hours. The 

 stronger winds of hurricanes can drive water level much higher on the coast than can 

 northeasters. Higher water levels allow waves to attack higher on the beach. 



The frequency of cyclonic activity increased notably in the 1950s through the 1970s (Bodge 

 and Savage 1992). Between 1930 and 1949, 15 hurricanes and tropical storms impacted the 

 Brevard County coast (a frequency of 0.8 storms per year). For the following two decades (1950- 

 1969), 37 cyclones impacted Brevard County (a frequency of 1.9 storms per year). The beach 

 has less time to recover during periods with higher frequency storm occurrence, making it more 



Chapter 2 Background 2-9 



