EQECAT's Modeling of the Windfield of Superstorm Sandy-2012

Superstorm Sandy caused considerable damage to the Northeastern states in October 2012. According to Property Claims Services (PCS), Sandy generated almost $19 Billion USD in insured losses. Superstorm Sandy made landfall at an intensity of Saffir Simpson Category 1, so its winds are much less than the intense hurricanes that have made landfall in the Southeastern United States. The size of the storm, however, was exceptionally large with hurricane force winds extending to 145 kilometers and tropical storm force winds extending to 900 kilometers from the center at the New Jersey landfall. The Northeast is densely populated with considerable exposure at risk. The combined effects of the storm's large size and high exposure led to a large accumulation of damage.

Modeling the windfield for a transitioning or post-tropical system like Sandy requires careful investigation of model and observed winds. Sandy became extratropical while the center of circulation was about 85 kilometers southeast of Atlantic City. However, using EQECAT's storm profile shape parameter, along with standard storm parameters from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), a very reasonable representation of the landfall windfield can be generated. EQECAT's shape parameter is used to model the profile and extent of winds beyond the radius of maximum winds. The wind radii from the NHC were first used to compute this parameter, and final adjustments were made to best match actual surface observations.