Some of my notes...
According to Scientists & Geologists, these are some natural disasters we have to look forward to:
1) Tsunami-Generating Earthquake Near U.S. Possibly Imminent
No coastline safe from tsunami. Astronomers looking at a rock that could hit Earth in future.
Cascadia subduction zone...680 mile fault that runs 50 miles off coast of Pacific NW
from Cape Mendocino CA to Vancouver Island in southern British Columbia has had 4 massive earthquakes during the past 1600 yrs.
2) Pacific Northwest Megathrust Earthquake
9.0 or larger earthquake between No Calif and Canada?
3) Hurricane Threat to New York City
(1938) The Bermuda High ripped boardwalks in NJ, no warnings were issued.
117 yrs since the last storm in New York (1821). Winds destroy roofs on Long Island,
trees uprooted, telephone poles snapped, 3 hours of high tide, and New Yorkers reported a thick heavy gray fog, 25 to 40 foot above the water coming towards So Coast.
Some fled to a bridge and some did not. Most died when the gray fog turned out to be a storm surge. Gusts 200 mph! The hurricane passed 55 miles east of Manhattan. Had it hit direct, it would have destroyed the island.
Other hurricane-related events in New York:
1821: Hurricane passed directtly over New York City and tides up 13 feet.
East River and the Hudson combined to cross lower Manhattan and north to Canal St.
Fortunately, few lived there at the time.
1893: Cat 1 destroyed Hog Island
1960: Hurricane Donna created an 11-foot storm tide in the New York Harbor that caused pier damage. Forced 300 families to evacuate Long Island.
1999: Floyd, weakened to a tropical storm, brought sustained 60 mph winds and dumped 10-15 inches of rain on upstate New Jersey and New York State.
2004: The remains of Hurricane Frances in September flooded city subways, stranding some passengers aboard trains that had to be stopped by flooded tracks.
4) Asteroid Impact....?????????
5) Los Angeles Tsunami...
6) Supervolcano.....Yellowstone?
7) Midwest Earthquake....Missouri, Boston, So Carolina, Mississippi?
8) Heat and Drought
Natural Disasters in USA 1980 to 2004:
2004:
Hurricane Jeanne. Cat 3. Landfall Florida. Wind, storm surge and flooding damag in FL.
Flood damage also in GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, DE, NJ, PA and NY.
$6.5 billion in damage.....28 deaths
Hurricane Ivan. Cat 3. Landfall Alabama. Wind, storm surge and flooding in AL and FL. Also with wind/flood damage in GA, SC, NC, VA, LA, MS, WV, MD, TN, KY, OH, DE, NJ, PA and NY. $12 billion in damage.........52 deaths
Hurricane Frances. Cat 2. Landfall in FL Wind, storm surge and flooding in FL. Flood damage also in GA, SC, NC and NY (5-15 inches of rains) $9 billion in damage....38 deaths.
Hurricane Charley. Cat 4 landfall in southwest Florida, wind and some storm surge damage in FL, along with some damage in the states of SC and NC. $14 billion in damage/costs; at least 34 deaths.
2003
So California. Wildfires in Oct. To Nov. 743K acres burned, 3700 homes destroyed.
$ 2.5 billion.......22 deaths
Hurricane Isabel Cat 2 landfall in eastern North Carolina, storm surge damage along the coasts of NC, VA, and MD, with wind damage and some flooding due to 4-12 inch rains in NC, VA, MD, DE, WV, NJ, NY, and PA; $5 billion in damages.....55 deaths.
Severe Storms and Tornadoes Early May 2003. Numerous tornadoes over the midwest, MS valley, OH/TN valleys and portions of the southeast, with a modern record one-week total of approximately 400 tornadoes reported; over $3.4 billion in damages/costs; 51 deaths.
Storms and Hail Early April 2003. Severe storms and large hail over the southern plains and lower MS valley, with Texas hardest hit, and much of the monetary losses due to hail; over $ 1.6 billion in damages/costs: 3 deaths.
2002
Drought Spring through early Fall 2002. Moderate to Extreme drought over large portions of 30 states, including the western states, the Great Plains, and much of the eastern U.S.; estimate of over $ 10.0 billion in damages/costs; no deaths.
Western Fire Season Spring through Fall 2002. Major fires over 11 western states from the Rockies to the west coast, due to drought and periodic high winds, with over 7.1 million acres burned; over $ 2.0 billion in damages/costs; 21 deaths.
2001
Tropical Storm Allison June 2001. Rainfall amounts of 30-40 inches in portions of coastal Texas and Louisiana, causing severe flooding especially in the Houston area, then moves slowly northeastward; fatalities and significant damage reported in TX, LA, MS, FL, VA, and PA;
$5. billion in damage/costs; at least 43 deaths.
Midwest and Ohio Valley Hail and Tornadoes April 2001. Storms, tornadoes, and hail in the states of TX, OK, KS, NE, IA, MO, IL, IN, WI, MI, OH, KY, WV, and PA, over a 6-day period; $1.9 billion in damage/costs......3 deaths.
2000
Drought/Heat Wave Spring-Summer 2000. Severe drought and persistent heat over south-central and southeastern states causing significant losses to agriculture and related industries;
$4.0 billion in damage......... 140 deaths nationwide.
Western Fire Season Spring-Summer 2000. Severe fire season in western states due to drought and frequent winds, with nearly 7 million acres burned;
$2 billion in damage........ no deaths reported.
1999
Hurricane Floyd Cat 2 Landfall NC, causing 10-20 inch rains in 2 days, with severe flooding in NC and some flooding in SC, VA, MD, PA, NY, NJ, DE, RI, CT, MA, NH, and VT;
$6 billion damage/costs;....... 77 deaths.
Eastern Drought/Heat Wave Summer 1999. Very dry summer and high temperatures, mainly in eastern U.S., with extensive agricultural losses;
$ 1 billion damage.............502 deaths.
Oklahoma-Kansas Tornadoes May 1999. Outbreak of F4-F5 tornadoes hit the states of Oklahoma and Kansas, along with Texas and Tennessee, Oklahoma City area hardest hit;
$ 1.6 billion..................55 deaths .
Arkansas-Tennessee Tornadoes Jan 1999. Two outbreaks of tornadoes in 6-day period strike Arkansas and Tennessee
$1.4 billion...................17 deaths
1998
Texas Flooding October-November 1998. Severe flooding in southeast Texas from 2 heavy rain events, with 10-20 inch rainfall totals
$ 1 billion............31 deaths
Hurricane Georges Sept 1998. Cat 2 Landfall Florida Keys and Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida panhandle, 15-30 inch 2-day rain totals in parts of AL/FL;
$ 6.5 billion...............16 deaths
Hurricane Bonnie Aug 1998. Cat 3 North Carolina and Virginia, extensive agricultural damage due to winds and flooding, with 10-inch rains in 2 days in some locations
$ 1 billion..............3 deaths
Southern Drought/Heat Wave Summer 1998. Severe drought and heat wave from Texas/Oklahoma eastward to the Carolinas
$ 6-9 billion..........200 deaths
Minnesota Severe Storms/Hail May 1998. Very damaging severe thunderstorms with large hail over wide areas of Minnesota
$ 1.7 billion...........1 death
SE Severe Weather Winter-Spring 1998. Tornadoes and flooding related to El Nino in southeastern states
$ 1 billion............132 deaths
Northeast Ice Storm January 1998. Intense ice storm hits Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, with extensive forestry losses
$ 1.5 billion.............16 deaths
1997
Northern Plains Flooding April-May 1997. Severe flooding in Dakotas and Minnesota due to heavy spring snowmelt
$ 4 billion.................11 deaths
MS and OH Valleys Flooding and Tornadoes March 1997. Tornadoes and severe flooding hit the states of AR, MO, MS, TN, IL, IN, KY, OH, and WV, with over 10 inches in 24 hours in Louisville
$ 1 billion.................67 deaths
West Coast Flooding December 1996-January 1997. Torrential rains (10-40 inches in 2 weeks) and snowmelt produce severe flooding over portions of CA, WA, OR, ID, NV & Montana.
$ 3 billion....................36 deaths
1996
Hurricane Fran Sept1996. Cat 3 N Carolina and Virginia, over 10-inch 24-hour rains in some locations and extensive agricultural and other losses
$ 5.8 billion.......................37 deaths
Southern Plains Severe Drought Fall 1995 thru Summer 1996. Severe drought in agricultural regions of southern plains--Texas and Oklahoma most severely affected;
$ 5 billion............no deaths
Pacific NW Severe Flooding Feb1996. Very heavy, persistent rains (10-30 inches) and melting snow over Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and western Montana;
$ 1 billion....................9 deaths
Blizzard of '96 Followed by Flooding January 1996. Very heavy snowstorm (1-4 feet) over Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast; followed by severe flooding in parts of same area due to rain and snowmelt
$ 3 billion..................187 deaths
1995
Hurricane Opal Oct 1995. Cat 3 Florida panhandle, Alabama, western Georgia, eastern Tenn, and the western Carolinas, causing storm surge, wind, and flooding damage;
$ 3 billion....................27 deaths
Hurricane Marilyn Sept 1995. Cat 2 U.S. Virgin Islands;
$ 2 billion.................13 deaths
Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana/Mississippi Severe Weather and Flooding May 1995. Torrential rains, hail, and tornadoes across Texas - Oklahoma and southeast Louisiana - southern Mississippi, with Dallas and New Orleans areas (10-25 inches in 5 days) hardest hit
$ 6 billion...........................32 deaths
California Flooding January-March 1995. Frequent winter storms cause 20-70 inches rainfall and periodic flooding across much of California;
$ 3 billion......................27 deaths
1994
Western Fire Season Summer-Fall 1994. Severe fire season in western states due to dry weather; $1 billion............................no deaths
Texas Flooding October 1994. Torrential rain (10-25 inches in 5 days) and thunderstorms cause flooding across much of southeast Texas
$1 billion................ 19 deaths.
Tropical Storm Alberto July 1994. Remnants of slow-moving Alberto brought torrential 10-25 inch rains in 3 days, widespread flooding, and agricultural damage in parts of Georgia, Alabama, and panhandle of Florida
$ 1 billion.......................32 deaths
SE Ice Storm February 1994. Intense ice storm with extensive damage in portions of TX, OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, TN, GA, SC, NC, and VA
$ 3 billion..........................9 deaths
1993
California Wildfires Fall 1993. Dry weather, high winds, and wildfires in southern California;
$ 1 billion...............................4 deaths
Midwest Flooding Summer 1993. Severe, widespread flooding in central U.S. due to persistent heavy rains and thunderstorms
$ 21 billion...............................48 deaths
Drought/Heat Wave Summer 1993. Southeastern U.S
$ 1 billion......................16 deaths
Blizzard Mar ‘93 “Storm of the Century” hit entire eastern seaboard w/ tornados, high winds,
heavy snows (2-4 feet)
$ 6 billion................................270 deaths
.
1992
Nor'easter of 1992 December 1992. Slow-moving storm batters northeast U.S. coast, New England hardest hit
$ 2 billion...........................19 deaths
Hurricane Iniki Sept ‘92..Cat 4 hit Hawai
$ 2 billion.............................7 deaths
Hurricane Andrew Aug 1992. Cat 5 Florida and Louisiana, high winds damage or destroy over 125,000 homes
$ 27 billion...........................61 deaths
1991
Oakland Firestorm October 1991. Oakland, California firestorm due to low humidities and high winds
$ 3 billion..............................25 deaths
Hurricane Bob August 1991. Cat 2 coastal North Carolina, Long Island, and New England
$ 2 billion...........................18 deaths
1990
Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana/Arkansas Flooding May 1990. Torrential rains cause flooding along the Trinity, Red, and Arkansas Rivers in TX, OK, LA, and AR;
$ 1 billion............................13 deaths
1989
Hurricane Hugo Sept 1989. Cat 4 No and So Carolina ~ 20-foot storm surge and severe wind damage after hitting Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
$ 9 billion.......................86 deaths
Northern Plains Drought Summer 1989. Severe summer drought over much of the northern plains with significant losses to agriculture
$ 1 billion..........................no deaths
1988
Drought/Heat Wave Summer 1988. Central and eastern U.S. with very severe losses to agriculture and related industries
$ 40 billion................................5000- 10,000 deaths
1986
Southeast Drought/Heat Wave Summer 1986. Severe summer drought in parts of the southeastern U.S. with severe losses to agriculture
1 billion........................................100 deaths
1985
Hurricane Juan Oct-Nov 1985. Cat 1 Louisiana and Southeast U.S.--severe flooding;
$ 1 billion.....................................63 deaths
Hurricane Elena Augt-Sept 1985. Caty 3 Florida to Louisiana;
$ 1 billion........................................4 deaths
Florida Freeze January 1985. Severe freeze central/northern Florida
$ 1 billion.....................................no deaths
1983
Florida Freeze December 1983. Severe freeze central/northern Florida
$ 2 billion......................................no deaths
Hurricane Alicia Aug 1983. Cat 3 Texas
$ 3 billion.....................................21 deaths
Western Storms and Flooding 1982 - Early 1983. Storms and flooding related to El Nino, especially in the states of WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, ID, UT, and MT
$ 1 billion........................................45 deaths
Gulf States Storms & Flooding ‘82...Storms and flooding related to El Nino.
Effected states TX, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA & FL
$ 1 billion......................................50 deaths
1980
Drought/Heat Wave June-September 1980. Central and eastern U.S.
$ 20 billion......................................est 10,000 deaths
It's the only place NOT blacked out.
