in the Northern Hemisphere, the winds blow in a 

 counterclockwise direction around the calm center 

 of the storm, called the eye. The most ferocious 

 winds are about 20 miles to the right of the eye. 

 There is an average of six hurricanes per year on 

 the Atlantic coast. They are born in the tropical 

 and subtropical North Atlantic Ocean, the Carib- 

 bean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The storms begin 

 to die once they hit land. 



Though the winds can reach ferocious speeds, 

 the water surge is always more dangerous. The 

 hurricane brings with it huge waves, which raise 

 tides 15 feet or more above normal. If the rise 

 comes quickly, it can produce flash floods in nearby 

 estuarine areas. It may bring giant waves, erron- 

 eously called "tidal waves." 



"That storm surge is a big solid mass of water. 

 It hits like a battering ram. Nothing could stop it," 

 said Harris. Debris which is transported by either 

 air or wind or water is an added hazard. 



The Division of Civil Preparedness is respons- 

 ible for providing emergency services and damage 

 assessment for areas that have been hit by hurri- 

 canes. This year UNC Sea Grant is sponsoring an 

 experiment that might make their work more effic- 

 ient. Simon Baker of Sea Grant advisory services 

 will be helping to test the effectiveness of oblique- 

 angle aerial photography for immediate damage 

 assessment. Baker is currently working with the 

 Raleigh squadron of the Civil Air Patrol to take an 

 initial series of photographs which will be used for 

 comparison with post-hurricane photographs. A 

 squadron plane with photographers will fly over 

 affected areas as soon as possible after a storm. 



Here's 

 what to do 



The hurricane season has already begun 

 in North Carolina. The National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

 urges you to prepare for a possible hurri- 

 cane now. Be sure you have an adequate 

 supply of boards, tools, batteries, non-per- 

 ishable foods and other items you would 

 need. 



Remember that a hurricane watch 

 means that a hurricane may threaten your 

 area within 24 hours. A hurricane warning 

 means that a hurricane is expected to 

 strike within 24 hours. 



Here are some additional tips from 

 NOAA: 



When you hear the first storm advisory, 

 listen for further messages. If there is a 

 hurricane warning, continue your normal 

 activities, but stay tuned to your radio or 

 television. 



If you hear a hur 



Stay calm. 



Leave low-lying areas. 



Leave mobile homes for more substantial 

 shelter. 



Moor your boat securely before the storm 

 arrives or move it to a safe area. If your 

 boat is moored, don't return to it once the 

 wind and waves are up. 



Board up windows or protect them with 

 storm shutters or tape. 



Secure outdoor objects. 



St are drinking water in clean bathtubs, 

 jugs, bottles and cooking utensils. Your 

 water supply may become contaminated. 



Check your battery-powered equipment. 

 If utility service is interrupted, you will 

 need a radio, emergency cooking facilities, 

 lights and flashlights. 



Keep your car fueled. 



Stay at your home if it is sturdy and on 

 high ground. Otherwise, move to a desig- 

 nated shelter. 



Evacuate if you are told to do so. 



Don't go outside until you are advised 

 that the storm is over. 



vaiTllllg: 



Building a home close to the beach can be a 

 risky business. Deeds to coastal property don't 

 come with guarantees of safety from Atlantic 

 Ocean storm surges. But two Sea Grant-supported 

 scientists are now doing research that might take 

 some of the guess work out of selecting a relatively 

 stable building site. 



Paul Hosier and Bill Cleary of UNC-Wilming- 

 ton are studying the history of overwash from 

 storms on the coast. Using aerial photography 

 and on-site surveys, they are looking at the pat- 

 terns of overwash between Cape Lookout and Cape 

 Fear from 1938 to the present. So far their study 

 indicates that some areas are much more stable 

 than others. They hope to produce maps and guide- 

 lines that prospective homeowners can use to 

 determine the relative stability of beach property. 



Overwash occurs when high waters breach the 

 sand dunes and invade coastal land. The wall of 

 water may destroy man-made construction. It also 

 leaves its mark on the natural environment of the 

 beach. It frequently uproots vegetation and flat- 



tens sand dunes, carrying sand to the inland side 

 of a barrier island or dragging it out to sea again 

 Ine displaced sand is usually deposited in a fan 

 shape behind the original dune line. A severe 

 storm or a series of storms may result in deposits 

 that form terraces. 



In almost all cases, natural forces will rebuild 

 the dunes and revegetate the area. In the mean 

 time, though, the overwashed beach is more vul- 

 nerable than ever to storm damage. Hosier con- 

 tends that revegetation of an overwashed beach 

 occurs in predictable stages. Identifying the condi- 

 tion of the dunes and the type of vegetation grow- 

 ing in an area can give one a good idea of when the 

 last overwash occurred there. 



According to Hosier, hurricanes are respons- 

 ible for the greatest amount of overwash on the 

 North Carolina coast. Other storms, such as the 

 winter northeasters that plague the coast, may 

 cause overwash and are frequently responsible for 

 more erosion than hurricanes. 



(See "Storms," p. 6) 



MOREHEAD CITY 

 JACKSONVILLE • ^^—^ ^_J£ ^ ( j 



Chart illustrates overwash intensity between Cape Lookout and Cape 



