Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms

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Hurricane Rita

Pre- and Post-Storm 3D Topography:

Holly Beach

Before and After Photo Comparisons:

Cameron Parish

Coastal Vulnerability:

Potential Coastal Impacts

Contact Information

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita made landfall as a category 3 storm near Sabine Pass, Texas on September 24, 2005. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NASA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the University of New Orleans, Louisiana State University, and the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology are cooperating in a research project investigating coastal change that has resulted from Hurricane Rita.

Aerial video, still photography, and laser altimetry surveys of post-storm beach conditions will be collected for comparison with earlier data as soon as weather allows. The comparisons will show the nature, magnitude, and spatial variability of coastal changes such as beach erosion, overwash deposition, and island breaching. These data will also be used to further refine predictive models of coastal impacts from severe storms. The data will be made available to local, state, and federal agencies for purposes of disaster recovery and erosion mitigation.

Coastal Change from Lidar

Lidary surveys reveal erosion and detruction.

Before and After Photos

See coastal change from Cameron Parish.

Related links:

2005 Hurricane Season Tropical Cyclone Reports
Synoptic history, meteorological statistics, casualties, damages, & storm track info from the National Hurricane Center

Preparing for Future Hurricanes—USGS Briefing Reveals Lessons from Katrina and Rita
Sound Waves article

Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies > Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms > Hurricane Rita

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URL: http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/rita/index.html
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Page Last Modified: December 23, 2008 @ 12:02 PM (JSS)