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The research focused on modeling with XBeach, in its Non-Hydrostatic mode, the behavior of the waves during the occurrence of extreme events on the Havana boardwalk to determine the overtopping on the structure. The calibration - validation of the model was carried out for the storm conditions of Hurricane Wilma (2005) and the return period 1/50 years. The model was established and the coastal hydrodynamics of 6.25 km of the seawall was simulated for 49 hours of Hurricane Wilma corresponding to October 22 to 25, obtaining the specific and average overtopping on the wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A description of the seawall defense so-called Malecón Tradicional, its crest levels, the maritime climate conditions and bathymetry are presented. The mechanism that generates coastal floods in the area is explained. The results of the numerical modeling applying the SWAN model, which allows defining the characteristics of the waves and the elevation of the sea due to wave breaking, show significant maximum wave heights of 4,00 m and elevations due to breakage of the waves of 0,81 m. The 50-year returns period and hurricane Wilma (2005) scenarios are defined as the most critical. The most dangerous areas are identified as the segment between Marina and Perseverancia streets, "West Sub-section" and the one defined between Blanco and Colón streets "East Sub-section". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to study, through computer simulation, the influence on sea level of the following phenomena: astronomical tide, storm surge and waves on the coasts of the provinces Artemisa, Mayabeque and Havana. The ADCIRC and ADCIRC + SWAN codes were executed in three scenarios, forced by components of the tide and atmospheric forces. Hurricane Wilma (2005) was selected. Eight locations were defined: four on the north coast and four south of the study area. The results are compared with data provided by NOAA. It was concluded that the storm surge was the phenomenon that increased more the sea level in the sites of the southern coast, while in the northern coast the astronomical tide reported the highest levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radar imagery of some double-eyewall tropical cyclones shows that the inner eyewalls become elliptical prior to their dissipation. These elliptical features indicate that the barotropic instability (BI) across the moat (aka, type-2 BI) may play a role in the process. To investigate the mechanism for dissipation, a WRF simulation of Hurricane Wilma (2005) is performed. The results reveal an elliptical elongation of the inner eyewall and a change in the structure of the radial flow from wavenumber (WN) 1 to WN 2 at the lower levels. A linear stability analysis as well as idealized nonlinear experiments using a nondivergent barotropic vorticity model initialized with the vorticity fields before the change in the dominant wavenumber of the radial flow are presented with the results supporting the presence of a type-2 BI at the lower levels. The accompanying WN-2 radial flow is also found to dilute the vorticity within the inner eyewall and the eye. However, this dilution is not seen at higher levels as the type-2 BI becomes weak and short lived at the middle levels and reaches its weakest strength at the upper levels. This phenomenon is traced to the fact that a higher growth rate comes with a narrower moat for type-2 BI. As the outward slope of the outer eyewall is larger than that of the inner eyewall, the moat width increases with height so that the growth rate decreases with height. The results presented here thus highlight the potential role played by the barotropic instability across the moat in inner eyewall dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies show that some hurricanes may undergo rapid intensification (RI) without contracting the radius of maximum wind (RMW). A cloud‐resolving mesoscale model prediction of Hurricane Wilma (2005) is used herein to examine what controls the RMW contraction and how a hurricane could undergo RI without contraction. Results show that the processes controlling the RMW contraction are different within and above the planetary boundary layer (PBL). In the PBL, radial inflow contributes to contraction, whereas frictional dissipation acts as an inhibiting factor. Above the PBL, radial outflow and vertical motion are the two main factors governing the RMW contraction, with the former inhibiting it. A budget analysis of absolute angular momentum (AAM) shows that the radial AAM flux convergence is the major process accounting for the spin‐up of the maximum rotation in the PBL as the RMW contracts, while the vertical flux divergence of AAM and the friction oppose the spin‐up. During the RI stage with no RMW contraction, the local AAM tendencies in the eyewall are however smaller in magnitude and narrower in width than those during the contracting RI stage. In addition, the AAM following the time‐dependent RMW decreases with time in the PBL and remains nearly constant aloft during the contracting stage, whereas it increases during the non‐contracting stage. These results reveal different constraints for the RMW contraction and RI, and help explain why a hurricane vortex can still intensify after the RMW ceases contraction. (a) Time series of the model‐predicted azimuthally averaged radial inflow (i.e. −Vr, dashed, m/s), and maximum tangential winds (Vt, solid, m/s) at the RMW at z = 20 m during the period of 1200 UTC 18 to 1200 UTC 19 October 2005; and (b) horizontal distribution of radar reflectivity (shaded, dBZ), superimposed with the horizontal wind speeds (grey‐contoured at intervals of 10 m/s) at z = 1 km at 0600 UTC 19 October over a subdomain of 100 km × 100 km. Green dashed lines in (a) denote the start and end of RI. Black dashed lines in (b) represent the RMW (=14 km), and thick solid circles denote radii of 25 km and 50 km from the TC centre, respectively. All variables are taken from the 1 km resolution model domain at 5 min intervals, smoothed temporally into a 30 min running mean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated mangrove forest resilience in the Florida Coastal Everglades (FCE) by analyzing long-term (2001–2014) spatial and temporal patterns of litterfall net primary productivity (NPP L ), including the impact and recovery from two natural disturbance events: Hurricane Wilma (October-2005) and a cold snap (January-2010). Specifically, we tested whether the disturbance driven recovery trajectory of mangrove forests (i.e. recovery duration and rate) depends on the disturbance impact magnitude and initial forest structure in three study sites. Hurricane Wilma caused canopy defoliation at all sites and was a function of the wind-field strength such that higher wind speeds at the SRS-6 site (30–40 m s −1 ) induced greatest defoliation (4.7 Mg C ha −1 yr −1 ). Disturbance magnitude (decrease in NPP L from 2005 to 2006) was higher in SRS-6 (7.8 Mg C ha −1 yr −1 ), followed by SRS-4 (5.7 Mg C ha −1 yr −1 ) and SRS-5 (5.5 Mg C ha −1 yr −1 ). We observed differential NPP L recovery times among sites and species, where sites SRS-5 and SRS-6 returned to pre-Wilma NPP L rates by 2010 while SRS-4 has not yet fully recovered. In contrast, the cold snap had significant disturbance impact, yet recovery occurred within one month across all sites. We conclude that differential resilience to Hurricane Wilma was a result of a synergy of local changes in hydrology, salinity and storm impact. The long-term ability of subtropical mangroves to recover to pre-disturbance production rates within a short period (<5 years) demonstrates their resilience capacity in cases where massive defoliation occurs as result of natural disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hurricane Wilma hit Yucatan Peninsula in 2005, causing substantial damage to local electrical transmission towers. Based on the failure characteristics observed on such towers, an analytical study is performed to reproduce such failures and assess their vulnerability. Two latticed transmission towers are analysed under the action of 14 different wind velocity patterns corresponding to several national and international wind design codes. Displacement-controlled pushover analyses are performed to reproduce impending failure mechanism for considered wind patterns, and associated gradient wind speed is computed. Results illustrate that consistent cyclonic wind speed patterns lead to better estimates of failure mechanism and gradient wind values than traditional non-cyclonic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma caused massive destruction in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005 but circum-Caribbean countries responded differently to the storms in terms of hurricane preparedness and disaster management. What accounts for these dissimilarities, and are the roles expected of governments and societies to mitigate loss of life and physical devastation different across political systems and countries? This article examines etiologies of hurricane destruction advanced by political rulers and public opinion leaders in Mexico and Cuba. Reports in the Spanish-language printed media provide evidence of the types of critiques made by Mexican and Cuban leaders of U.S. mismanagement of disaster response to hurricane Katrina. How they assessed their own country's management of hurricane Wilma's destruction is also analyzed. A key theoretical question which the article addresses is whether the effectiveness of hurricane responses depends on the state's capacity, including social capital, public policy priorities, social values, and quality of leadership. Explanations are offered and factors identified as to why a state with massive resources and broad legitimacy like the U.S. responded ineffectively to Katrina while the Cuban government with limited resources and much less legitimacy performed effectively in managing Wilma. In turn, how did the first post-PRI government in 70 years with limited experience and neoliberal values manage its hurricane Wilma crisis? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of the latent heat of fusion on the rapid intensification (RI) of Hurricane Wilma (2005) are examined by comparing a 72-h control simulation (CTL) of the storm to a sensitivity simulation in which the latent heat of deposition is reduced by removing fusion heating (NFUS). Results show that, while both storms undergo RI, the intensification rate is substantially reduced in NFUS. At peak intensity, NFUS is weaker than CTL by 30 hPa in minimum central pressure and by 12 m s−1 in maximum surface winds. The reduced rate of surface pressure falls in NFUS appears to result hydrostatically from less upper-level warming in the eye. It is shown that CTL generates more inner-core convective bursts (CBs) during RI, with higher altitudes of peak vertical motion in the eyewall, compared to NFUS. The latent heat of fusion contributes positively to sufficient eyewall conditional instability to support CB updrafts. Slantwise soundings taken in CB updraft cores reveal moist adiabatic lapse rates until 200 hPa, where the updraft intensity peaks. These results suggest that CBs may impact hurricane intensification by inducing compensating subsidence of the lower-stratospheric air, and the authors conclude that the development of more CBs inside the upper-level radius of maximum wind and at the higher altitude of latent heating all appear to be favorable for the RI of Wilma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive amounts of open data related to a crisis aren't fully used to identify humanitarian needs because most of the data exists in an unstructured format, thus hindering machines in its interpretation. Automatic processing of crisis data in a short time period would provide useful information to decision makers. To address these problems, this article presents a method for merging ontologies and logic rules to represent humanitarian needs and recommend appropriate humanitarian responses. The main advantage of the method is that it identifies humanitarian needs and prioritizes humanitarian responses automatically, including health survival issues and possible responses by creating a working system during the evolution of the crisis. The method is implemented on 125 real data reports from the Hurricane Wilma crisis and compared to the actual support provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily images collected with the MODIS sensor on the NASA Aqua satellite were used to describe chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations before, during, and after synoptic-scale meteorological pulses in the Yucatan Basin, Caribbean Sea. The relative influence of vertical diffusive and vertical advective transport on mixing of the near surface layer was quantified with wind data from the QuikSCAT satellite. Computation of vertical density eddy diffusivity and gradient Richardson numbers was done with data from the three-dimensional MERCATOR model. The model evidenced the importance of vertical shear (i.e., vertical diffusive processes) in generating mixing during autumn and winter (2007-2009). During moderate meteorological pulses (e.g., cold fronts, easterly tropical waves, and low-pressure systems with wind speeds of 9-15 m s-1 sustained over 2 days), mixing caused by diffusive transport (eddy viscosity of 10 × 10-3 m² s-1) was at least one order of magnitude higher than upward advective mixing (0.3 × 10-3 m² s-1). During the passage of hurricanes Ivan (September 2004) and Wilma (October 2005), upward advective mixing (5-7 m² s-1) dominated mixing of the upper water column and was nearly four orders of magnitude higher than during moderate meteorological events. Background chl-a concentrations of 0.03-0.08 mg m-3 were observed during the July-October period. During synoptic weather pulses, three different patterns in the chl-a concentrations were observed: first, chl-a concentrations in the range of 0.05 to 0.12 mg m-3 followed moderate meteorological pulses; second, higher regional chl-a concentrations (0.5-2.0 mg m-3) followed the passage of hurricanes; and third, the formation of filaments showing apparent high chl-a (0.3-1.5 mg m-3) south of Cuba, possibly caused by freshwater discharge from land. The changes in chlorophyll patterns following meteorological events illustrate typical patterns of connectivity among different parts of the Yucatan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domain ontology, as a conceptual model, provides a meaningful framework for semantic representation of textual information. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of using the ontology in solving multi-document summarization problems in the domain of disaster management. We provide an empirical study of different approaches in which the ontology has been used for summarization tasks. Extensive experiments on a collection of press releases relevant to Hurricane Wilma in 2005 demonstrate that ontology-based multi-document summarization methods outperform other baselines in terms of the summary quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience and vulnerability of individuals is a common topic in disaster management literature, but business recovery - the ability of businesses to rebound from the shock of a disaster event - is an area that is not well examined. This article considers long-term business recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma in Palm Beach County, Florida, and seeks to discern the role and impact of county government operations on business recovery. This exploratory study shows that the accessibility and availability of contracting opportunities to the local business community in the hurricane's aftermath, business vulnerability, and individual impacts from the disaster event can all affect business recovery. The results suggest that local governments can proactively respond to the risks posed by natural and other disasters by engaging in efforts to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience in their communities, while enhancing the transparency and accountability of governmental institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of a high-resolution dataset from a realistic simulation of Hurricane Wilma (2005) was performed to understand the mechanism for the formation of a prominent polygonal eyewall and mesovortices during the rapid intensifying stage of the hurricane. The impact of these asymmetries on the intensity change of the hurricane vortex was assessed using the empirical normal mode (ENM) method and Eliassen-Palm (EP) flux calculations. The results indicated that the eyewall of Wilma exhibited an early azimuthal wavenumber-4 ( m = 4) asymmetry followed by a transition to lower-wavenumber asymmetries. The simulated reflectivity and the spatial structure of potential vorticity (PV) anomalies strongly suggest that barotropic instability is the most likely driving mechanism for these asymmetries. From the ENM analysis, it was found that the dominant modes for m = 4 and m = 3 asymmetries are vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) that possess characteristics of unstable modes, supporting the importance of barotropic instability. The EP flux calculations associated with these modes indicate that the VRWs act to decelerate the flow at the initial radius of maximum wind while they act to accelerate the flow radially inside and outside of this location, suggesting that VRWs may provide a positive impact to the intensification of the vortex. The present results complement previous findings of theoretical and highly idealized numerical studies that a polygonal eyewall and mesovortices are the result of barotropic instability, thereby furnishing a bridge between idealized studies and observations. The work also provides new insight on the role of asymmetries and VRWs in the intensification of hurricanes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local officials throughout the Gulf Coast towns crushed by Hurricane Katrina are struggling to shake loose the federal money they need to rebuild, despite massive appropriations from Congress for that very task. Bureaucratic hurdles have held up the money, stalling reconstruction and dissuading residents chased away by the storm from returning to their hometowns.

State-of-the-art coupled hydrodynamic and wave models can predict the inundation threat from an approaching hurricane with high resolution and accuracy. However, these models are not highly efficient and often cannot be run sufficiently fast to provide results 2 h prior to advisory issuance within a 6-h forecast cycle. Therefore, to produce a timely inundation forecast, coarser grid models, without wave setup contributions, are typically used, which sacrifices resolution and physics. This paper introduces an efficient forecast method by applying a multidimensional interpolation technique to a predefined optimal storm database to generate the surge response for any storm based on its landfall characteristics. This technique, which provides a 'digital lookup table' to predict the inundation throughout the region, is applied to the southwest Florida coast for Hurricanes Charley (2004) and Wilma (2005) and compares well with deterministic results but is obtained in a fraction of the time. Because of the quick generation of the inundation response for a single storm, the response of thousands of possible storm parameter combinations can be determined within a forecast cycle. The thousands of parameter combinations are assigned a probability based on historic forecast errors to give a probabilistic estimate of the inundation forecast, which compare well with observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synoptic-scale environments of predecessor rain events (PREs) occurring to the east of the Rocky Mountains in association with Atlantic basin tropical cyclones (TCs) are examined. PREs that occurred during 1988-2010 are subjectively classified based upon the synoptic-scale upper-level flow configuration within which the PRE develops, with a focus on the following: 1) the position of the jet streak relative to the TC, 2) the position of the jet streak relative to trough and ridge axes, and 3) the positions of trough and ridge axes relative to the PRE and to the TC. Three categories were identified from this classification procedure: 'jet in ridge,' 'southwesterly jet,' and 'downstream confluence.' PRE-relative composite analysis for each category reveals that, consistent with previous studies, PREs typically occur near a low-level baroclinic zone, beneath the equatorward entrance region of an upper-level jet streak, and in the presence of a stream of water vapor from a TC. Despite these common characteristics, key differences exist among the three PRE categories related to the phasing of a TC with the synoptic-scale flow and to the interactions between a TC and its environment. Brief case studies of PREs associated with TC Rita (2005), TC Wilma (2005), and TC Ernesto (2006) are presented as specific examples of the three PRE categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have focused mostly on the roles of environmental factors in the rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) because of the lack of high-resolution data in inner-core regions. In this study, the RI of TCs is examined by analyzing the relationship between an upper-level warm core, convective bursts (CBs), sea surface temperature (SST), and surface pressure falls from 72-h cloud-permitting predictions of Hurricane Wilma (2005) with the finest grid size of 1 km. Results show that both the upper-level inertial stability increases and static stability decreases sharply 2-3 h prior to RI, and that the formation of an upper-level warm core, from the subsidence of stratospheric air associated with the detrainment of CBs, coincides with the onset of RI. It is found that the development of CBs precedes RI, but most subsidence warming radiates away by gravity waves and storm-relative flows. In contrast, many fewer CBs occur during RI, but more subsidence warming contributes to the balanced upper-level cyclonic circulation in the warm-core (as intense as 20°C) region. Furthermore, considerable CB activity can still take place in the outer eyewall as the storm weakens during its eyewall replacement. A sensitivity simulation, in which SSTs are reduced by 1°C, shows pronounced reductions in the upper-level warm-core intensity and CB activity. It is concluded that significant CB activity in the inner-core regions is an important ingredient in generating the upper-level warm core that is hydrostatically more efficient for the RI of TCs, given all of the other favorable environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and resultant coastal erosion and flooding have been the focus of many recent analyses. Often these studies overlook the effects of manmade modifications to the coastline which have reduced its resilience to storm events. In this investigation, we integrate previous reports, historical photo analysis, field work, and the application of numerical models to better understand the effects of Wilma, the most destructive hurricane to affect Cancun, Mexico. Huge waves (of significant height, >12 m), long mean wave periods (>12 s), devastating winds (>250 km/h), and powerful currents (>2 m/s) removed >7 million cubic meters of sand from the Cancun beach system, leaving 68% of the sub-aerial beach as bedrock, and the rest considerably eroded. Numerical simulations show that the modifications to the barrier island imposed by tourist infrastructure have considerably increased the rigidity of the system, increasing the potential erosion of the beach under extreme conditions. If there were no structural barriers, a series of breaches could occur along the beach, allowing exchange of water and alleviating storm surge on other sections of the beach. If the effects caused by anthropogenic changes to Cancun are ignored, the analysis is inaccurate and misleading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a 72-h cloud-permitting numerical prediction of Hurricane Wilma (2005), covering its initial 18-h spinup, an 18-h rapid intensification (RI), and the subsequent 36-h weakening stage, is performed using the Weather Research Forecast Model (WRF) with the finest grid length of 1 km. The model prediction uses the initial and lateral boundary conditions, including the bogus vortex, that are identical to the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory's then-operational data, except for the time-independent sea surface temperature field. Results show that the WRF prediction compares favorably in many aspects to the best-track analysis, as well as satellite and reconnaissance flight-level observations. In particular, the model predicts an RI rate of more than 4 hPa h−1 for an 18-h period, with the minimum central pressure of less than 889 hPa. Of significance is that the model captures a sequence of important inner-core structural variations associated with Wilma's intensity changes, namely, from a partial eyewall open to the west prior to RI to a full eyewall at the onset of RI, rapid eyewall contraction during the initial spinup, the formation of double eyewalls with a wide moat area in between during the most intense stage, and the subsequent eyewall replacement leading to the weakening of Wilma. In addition, the model reproduces the boundary layer growth up to 750 hPa with an intense inversion layer above in the eye. Recognizing that a single case does not provide a rigorous test of the model predictability due to the stochastic nature of deep convection, results presented herein suggest that it is possible to improve forecasts of hurricane intensity and intensity changes, and especially RI, if the inner-core structural changes and storm size could be reasonably predicted in an operational setting using high-resolution cloud-permitting models with realistic initial conditions and model physical parameterizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degradation of coastal systems has led to increased impacts from hurricanes and storm surges and is of concern for coastal endemics species. Understanding the influence of disturbance on coastal populations like the endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit ( Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) is important to understanding long-term dynamics and for recovery planning. We evaluated the effect of disturbance on the rabbits by determining which patch, habitat, and landscape characteristics influenced habitat use following Hurricane Wilma. We determined patch-level occurrence 6-9 months prior to Hurricane Wilma, within 6 months following the hurricane, and 2 years after the storm to quantify rates of patch abandonment and recurrence. We observed high patch abandonment (37.5% of used patches) 6 months after Hurricane Wilma and low rates of recurrence (38.1% of abandoned patches) 2 years after the storm, an indication that this storm further threatened marsh rabbit viability. We found the proportion of salt-tolerant (e.g., mangroves and scrub mangroves) and salt-intolerant (e.g., freshwater wetlands) vegetation within LKMR patches were negatively and positively correlated with probability of patch abandonment, respectively. We found patch size and the number of used patches surrounding abandoned patches were positively correlated with probability of recurrence. We suggest habitat use following this hurricane was driven by the differential response of non-primary habitats to saline overwash and habitat loss from past development that reduced the size and number of local populations. Our findings demonstrate habitat use studies should be conducted following disturbance and should incorporate on-going effects of development and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. coast from Maine to Texas is vulnerable to hurricane impacts. Hurricane-induced economic losses have steadily increased in recent decades. At the same time, trillions of dollars have been invested in coastal development to accommodate the increasing population; therefore, the socioeconomic impacts of hurricane landfalls will also escalate. The state of Florida has sustained massive hurricane losses in recent years. Hurricane Wilma, barely a Category 2 hurricane in 2005, amounted to $16 billion in damages in South Florida. These tremendous losses have resulted in unprecedented insurance payouts. The answer to Florida's hurricane crisis is to strengthen homes and businesses through retrofitting and improved new construction. This requires full-scale, destructive building testing to gain a better understanding of hurricane-induced, wind-rain effects on buildings and structures. Scientific understanding of hurricane effects will lead to innovative design technologies to mitigate hurricane damages. The effectiveness of these technologies must be validated through laboratory testing and performance evaluation of design concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne passed over Lake Okeechobee, Florida, in September 2004 and Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. The storms created large waves, strong currents, high wind seiches and uplifted over 3 million metric tons (collectively) of sediments into the water column. Suspended solid concentrations increased five-fold and there were substantial changes in the plankton. Unlike previously documented effects of hurricanes in the open ocean and estuaries, where increased nitrogen inputs stimulate primary productivity, the hurricanes resulted in substantial reductions in biomass of bacteria, phytoplankton and phototrophic nanoflagellates, both in pelagic and near-shore habitats. Increases in macro-zooplankton biomass were observed in both habitats. There were sustained large increases in dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column after the hurricanes, coincident with large declines in mean irradiance in the mixed layer. Further, results from laboratory bioassays that exposed the phytoplankton to nutrient additions and a controlled light gradient indicate that the community shifted from being frequently nitrogen limited to most commonly light limited after the storms. The results confirm that the major driver of plankton food-web dynamics in this system is light availability, and that the primary mechanism of change caused by hurricanes is an accentuation of light limitation via greatly increased sediment re-suspension. There additionally was evidence of food-web-mediated effects where the loss of submerged vegetation and increased turbidity reduced the density and efficiency of visually feeding fishes, leading to a significant increase in biomass of macro-zooplankton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of Hurricane Wilma's storm surge (23-24 October 2005) on the dominant tree Pinus elliottii var densa (South Florida slash pine) and rare plant species in subtropical pine rocklands of the Lower Florida Keys. We examine the role of elevation on species abundance in 1995 (Hurricane Betsy in 1965), 2005 (Hurricane Georges in 1998), and 2008 (Hurricane Wilma in 2005) to investigate if hurricanes influence abundance by eliminating plants at lower elevation on Big Pine Key, the largest island in the Lower Florida Keys. We compare densities before and after Hurricane Wilma over the 2005-2008 sampling period and examine the role of elevation on changes in pine and rare species densities three years after Hurricane Wilma. We use elevation to assess the impact of hurricanes because elevation determined whether a location was influenced by storm surge (maximum surge of 2 m) in the Lower Florida Keys, where pine rocklands occur at a maximum elevation of 3 m. In 1995 (30 years after a major storm), elevation did not explain the abundance of South Florida slash pine or Chamaecrista lineata, but explained significant variation in abundance of Chamaesyce deltoidea. The latter two species are rare herbaceous plants restricted to pine rocklands. In 2008, 3 years after Hurricane Wilma, the positive relationship between elevation and abundance was strongest for South Florida slash pine, C. deltoidea, and C. lineata. Effects of Hurricane Wilma were not significant for rare species with wider distribution, occurring in plant communities adjacent to pine rocklands and in disturbed rocklands. Our results suggest that hurricanes drive population dynamics of South Florida slash pine and rare species that occur exclusively in pine rocklands at higher elevations. Rare species restricted to pine rocklands showed dramatic declines after Hurricane Wilma and were eliminated at elevations <0.5 m. Widely distributed rare species did not show significant changes in density after Hurricane Wilma. Abundance increased with elevation for South Florida slash pine and C. lineata after the hurricane. In an environment influenced by sea level rise, concrete plans to conserve pine ecosystems are warranted. Results from this study will help define conservation strategies by strengthening predictive understanding of plant responses to disturbance in the backdrop of sea level rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A set of numerical experiments has been performed in order to analyze the long-wave response of the coastal ocean to a translating mesoscale atmospheric cyclone approaching the coastline at a normal angle. An idealized two-slope shelf topography is chosen. The model is forced by a radially symmetric atmospheric pressure perturbation with a corresponding gradient wind field. The cyclone''s translation speed, radius, and the continental shelf width are considered as parameters whose impact on the long wave period, modal structure, and amplitude is studied. Subinertial continental shelf waves (CSW) dominate the response under typical forcing conditions and on the narrower shelves. They propagate in the downstream (in the sense of Kelvin wave propagation) direction. Superinertial edge wave modes have higher free surface amplitudes and faster phase speeds than the CSW modes. While potentially more dangerous, edge waves are not as common as subinertial shelf waves because their generation requires a wide, gently sloping shelf and a storm system translating at a relatively high (∼10ms−1 or faster) speed. A relatively smaller size of an atmospheric cyclone also favors edge wave generation. Edge waves with the highest amplitude (up to 60% of the forced storm surge) propagate upstream. They are produced by a storm system with an Eulerian time scale equal to the period of a zero-mode edge wave with the wavelength of the storm spatial scale. Large amplitude edge waves were generated during Hurricane Wilma''s landfall (2005) on the West Florida shelf with particularly severe flooding occurring upstream of the landfall site. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hurricane Wilma in 2005 resulted in difficulties for Florida agencies in satisfying emergency relief demands by citizens. Because of this, a study was conducted to assess overall household preparedness for the aftermath of a disaster causing loss of electricity and other utilities for at least three days. Telephone interviews were conducted with 1200 Florida households to ask about current levels of preparedness in the spring of 2006 and about preparedness levels during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. Preparedness scores were computed based on a list of eight items for current preparedness and a list of ten items for preparedness for recent hurricanes. Results indicated that most households reported being well prepared to subsist on their own for at least three days following a disaster. Preparedness was strongly related to income, home ownership, race, age, and type of housing. Difficulties in meeting demand for emergency relief following Wilma appear to have resulted from needs of a relatively small percentage of households in an area having a very large population and from a number of households consuming relief supplies even though they reported being prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the dynamical constraints underlining the pressure–wind relationship (PWR) for intense tropical cyclones (TCs) are examined with the particular focus on the physical connections between the maximum surface wind (VMAX) and the minimum sea level pressure (PMIN). Use of the Rankine vortex demonstrates that the frictional forcing in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) could explain a sizeable portion of the linear contributions of VMAX to pressure drops. This contribution becomes increasingly important for intense TCs with small eye sizes, in which the radial inflows in the PBL could no longer be neglected. Furthermore, the inclusion of the tangential wind tendency can make an additional contribution to the pressure drops when coupled with the surface friction. An examination of the double-eyewall configuration reveals that the formation of an outer eyewall or well-organized spiral rainbands complicates the PWR. An analysis of a cloud-resolving simulation of Hurricane Wilma (2005) shows that the outer eyewall could result in the continuous deepening of PMIN even with a constant VMAX. The results presented here suggest that (i) the TC size should be coupled with VMAX rather than being treated as an independent predictor as in the current PWRs, (ii) the TC intensity change should be at least coupled linearly with the radius of VMAX, and (iii) the radial wind in the PBL is of equal importance to the linear contribution of VMAX and its impact should be included in the PWR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2005 hurricane season was the worst on record, resulting in disaster declarations and the implementation of federally-funded crisis counseling programs in five states. As part of a larger cross-site evaluation of these programs, data from 2,850 participant surveys, 805 provider surveys, and 132,733 encounter logs (submitted from 3 weeks before to 3 weeks after the participant surveys) were aggregated to the county level ( N = 50) and used to test hypotheses regarding factors that influence program performance. County-level outcomes (aggregate ratings of participants’ perceived benefits) improved as service intensity, service intimacy, and frequency of psychological referrals increased and as provider job stress decreased. The percent of providers with advanced degrees was indirectly related to participants’ perceived benefits by increasing service intensity and referral frequency. The results yielded recommendations for achieving excellence in disaster mental health programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which seeks to investigate the impact of hurricanes Emily and Wilma in 2005 on the coral community in Cozumel Island, Mexico. It notes that the researchers assessed several reefs before and after the hurricanes. Data revealed that a 56% in cumulative decline of live coral was observed after the hurricanes. The result also showed a uniform reduction in different coral genera. Further analysis also revealed a directional change of more homogenous composition of the species in the area.

We documented the effects of hurricane Wilma (2005) on Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) using data from the Québec Chimney Swift Survey Program and observations of swift mortality during migration. Hurricane Wilma developed in the Caribbean and followed the eastern coast of North America, moving over areas used extensively by migrating birds. Thousands of birds and, among them, Chimney Swifts, were caught and carried by the storm as far as Atlantic Canada and western Europe. At least 727 swifts were reported dead. Chimney Swift numbers in the province of Québec, Canada, declined significantly the following year, suggesting adverse consequences of the hurricane on this population over a large area. Roost counts declined by an average of 62%; the total Chimney Swift population decreased by approximately 50%. These results suggest that hurricanes can reduce the breeding population size of some migratory bird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 2005, two hurricanes left tracks of destruction across the Mexican Southeast. Only two weeks after hurricane Stan passed over Chiapas, the tourist region of Riviera Maya was affected by the category 5 hurricane Wilma. But while the Mexican state reacted quickly in the case of Cancún and its surroundings, the population of the many affected regions in Chiapas is still waiting for support. This article describes the impacts of hurricanes Stan and Wilma in the two respective regions selected, and analyzes the federal state's response towards these natural hazards; it hypothesizes that the disaster management of Mexican authorities is aggravating Mexico's disparate economic development. In the case of Chiapas, it is also shown how the impacts of natural disasters and the slow-onset of environmental degradation are affecting migration processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veerasamy has made several comments concerning the results and methods presented in a recent article by the authors titled “Reexamination of Tropical Cyclone Wind–Pressure Relationships.” One comment concerns the terminology and definition of the environmental pressure. Another comment suggests the merits of a simpler approach developed by Veerasamy in 2005 that utilizes the radius of 1004 hPa to determine the “proper” wind–pressure relationship. The third comment concerns the performance of the Knaff and Zehr wind–pressure relationship [their Eq. (7)] during the well-observed North Atlantic Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma during 2005. The final comment suggests that the techniques discussed in Knaff and Zehr are more difficult to apply than an operational method developed by Veerasamy and used in Mauritius. These comments are addressed individually along with some of the lessons learned since the publication of the Knaff and Zehr methodology that are important to the tropical cyclone community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct observations of the storm surge and the subsequent long-wave response induced by Hurricane Wilma's landfall on the West Coast of Florida on 24 October 2005 are presented. The data set consists of weeklong time series of storm surge and barometric pressure measured by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Florida Integrated Science Center. The survey area spanned more than 100 km alongshore from the landfall site northward. The USGS data were augmented with measurements at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tide gauge and Coastal Marine Automated Network (CMAN) stations. At the time of Wilma's arrival, the storm surge was minimal to the north of landfall site but was significant in the southern sector. Subsequently, it evolved into an edge wave pulse propagating northward as Wilma moved inland and the surge was no longer sustained by the wind forcing. The height of the wave pulse exceeded 1.5 m in detided sea level data. However, its magnitude was somewhat obscured in direct surge measurements because the wave pulse propagated during the low tide. The duration of this wave pulse was approximately 6 hours. The propagation speed of the wave front was ∼25 m s-1, while the pulse crest traveled at a lower speed of ∼10 m s-1, which indicates the dispersion effects. A relatively low phase speed suggests that the wave energy was trapped nearshore, in the water depth of 10-20 m. The wave pulse was followed by a train of weaker wavelike undulations, also propagating northward. The edge wave pulse seemed to be attenuated by a complex topography in the vicinity of Sanibel Island-Pine Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passage of hurricane Wilma (October 2005, category 4, duration ∼ 60 h) over Puerto Morelos, Mexican Caribbean, allowed verification of a previous experiment simulating hurricane-like impacts on the seagrass beds in its back-reef lagoon. At two mid-lagoon stations, numbers of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme and macro-algae Udotea spp., Penicillus spp., and Rhipocephalus spp. were reduced significantly, whereas populations of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum and Halimeda spp. were unaffected. These impacts of the hurricane supported the results of the simulation experiment. Differential results were registered at one station for the spongy-like algae Anrainvillea spp. and Cladocephalus sp., which were not affected by the simulation treatments but were reduced in number by the hurricane. Thus, apart from known impacts such as complete or partial destruction of seagrass beds, hurricanes may also change the community structure of persistent beds through species-specific elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last several years we have witnessed the arrival of a climatic cycle characterized by an increase in severe hurricane activity. This article focuses on the needs of seniors before, during, and after severe storms. Using literature, information learned during and after Hurricane Katrina, and on-the-ground experiences before, during and after Hurricane Wilma, this article addresses such issues as individual and community preparedness, access to services, and psychological response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a study concerns one of the most destructive tropical cyclones in the history of these natural phenomena in the Atlantic basin and in particular the Region IV of the World Meteorological Organization, which correspond to the countries of North America, Central America and the Caribbean. It makes an analysis of temporal evolution of hurricane "Wilma", since its formation as the depression tropical number 24 and its subsequent development to tropical storm and hurricane, doing the same in the opposite direction when it weakened to tropical storm y depression. Also, highlights the unique nature of this intense hurricane that took him to break some established brands in the history of tropical cyclones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the ways in which Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma (KRW) affected trading activity in the secondary market for municipal securities. Using MSRB data from the second half of 2005, it shows that there is little evidence of a widespread market response to these storms. The single, but important, exception to that trend was a sizable sell-off of Louisiana credits and a subsequent increase in perceived liquidity risk associated with those credits. Both of these findings imply that a select group of investors responded to the threat KRW posed by selling out of their positions in municipal bonds and in doing so, paying a slightly higher trading fee. The general implication is that the municipal market was largely unaffected by KRW, but the potential may exist for a large-scale sell-off if a similarly sized natural disaster were to affect a more robust geographic segment of the municipal market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]