Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms

Storm-Impact Scale

Swash Regime

Swash Regime No net change to the system

During a storm, if wave runup is confined to the beach, the beach will erode and the sand will be stored offshore. However, over the weeks and months following the storm, the sand naturally returns to the beach, restoring the beach to its original configuration.

Minimal Impacts of the Swash Regime

During Hurricane Dennis (1999), at this location, wave runup was confined to the beach. The beach eroded but the dune was untouched (see photo and compared cross-section below). Most of the eroded sand returned to the beach in the weeks to months following Hurricane Dennis (1999).

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