U.S. Geological Survey coastal change experts have forecast that 78 percent of the sandy beaches from Florida to North Carolina are likely to undergo beach and dune erosion from the powerful storm.
As Florida starts to feel the effects of Hurricane Dorian, U.S. Geological Survey coastal change experts have forecast that 78 percent of the sandy beaches from Florida to North Carolina are likely to undergo beach and dune erosion from the powerful storm.
Georgia and South Carolina beaches are projected to face the highest rates of dune erosion, with 100 percent of those states’ beaches likely to suffer some level. About 78 percent of Florida’s beaches and 60 percent of North Carolina’s dunes will also experience erosion from the strong waves and surge generated by Dorian.
Dune erosion is only the first level of damage a major storm like Dorian can cause. As waves and surge reach higher than the tops of dunes, overwash can occur, often transporting large amounts of sand across coastal environments – including roads, depositing sand inland and causing significant changes to the landscape. Overwash is currently predicted as very likely for 52 percent of Georgia dunes, 74 percent of South Carolina dunes, 10 percent of Florida dunes and 11 percent of North Carolina dunes. Overall, 28 percent of the dunes from Florida to North Carolina may experience some level of overwash.
Inundation, the most severe coastal impact, occurs when beaches and dunes are completely and continuously submerged by water. Inundation is forecast as very likely for 5 percent of dunes in Georgia and 17 percent in South Carolina. North Carolina and Florida are currently not projected to experience any inundation.
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Image via USGS.
