Tropical cyclone energy and power dissipation as a predictor of storm surge using ADCIRC

Integrated kinetic energy (IKE) and power dissipation (PD) have been shown to quantify seasonal tropical cyclone energetics better than the traditional indices (ACE, PDI). Of the factors that are traditionally associated with destructive potential, IKE and PD contains mutual information for storm size, structure, and maximum winds; hence, we surmise IKE and PD are better indicators of destructive potential. In this study, a (parallel) advanced circulation model for oceanic, coastal and estuarine waters (ADCIRC) is used to test the potential destruction theory. It can be shown that over a large range of storm sizes and intensities, IKE and PD are a better discriminator of storm surge than maximum 1-minute sustained wind speed alone. These results enhance the conclusion that storm energetics are best quantified when a measure of storm size and structure is included.