In an effort to reduce vulnerability to economic, social, and environmental risks posed by natural hazards, the NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC Integrated Data and Environmental Applications (IDEA) Center in Honolulu, HI is developing its flagship Pacific Regional Integrated Climatology Information Products (PRICIP) project.

PRICIP responds to the fact that coastal storms and “storminess” – the strong winds, heavy rains, and high seas that accompany these storms – pose a threat to the lives and livelihoods of the peoples of the Pacific. The project aims to better educate coastal decision makers and promote coastal hazard awareness and resilience by providing emergency management officials with integrated data products to enhance understanding of patterns and effects of “storminess.”

The first milestone of the PRICIP project is the creation of a compact web portal featuring detailed “event anatomies” for historically significant Pacific storm events. The purpose of the event anatomy is to familiarize users with the effects of severe natural hazards and their underlying causes using language that is easily understandable. The content developed within each of the event anatomies summarizes sector-specific socio-economic effects of each event. The anatomies also provide historical context through investigation of ocean basin climatologies and comparisons to past extreme events.

The beta format of the PRICIP event anatomies is currently being adapted for a user-friendly web portal format, which will soon be unveiled to local and state emergency planners and government officials.