AMS Forum: Living in the Coastal Zone

3.3

Climate Connections of Land-Falling Tropical Cyclones: A Case Study for North Carolina

Leonard J. Pietrafesa, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC; and L. Xie, D. Dickey, T. R. Karl, and M. A. Davidson

This study documents the temporal and frequency variations of occurrence of land-falling tropical cyclones (TCs) in North Carolina (NC). The period studied is 1887-1999. While there is significant variability over the 113 year period, a visual inspection of the record suggests a strongly modulated pattern of activity. The principal modes of variability are revealed and are shown to be related to: the Biennial Oscillation; the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO); the cycle of precipitation in the African Western Sahel; the Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly Dipole; and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The residual trend has been ~1.0 event per year (e/y) with a low of ~0.8 e/y in the mid 20th century. Implications for the future in a time of rising sea-level are suggested. wrf recording  Recorded presentation

Session 3, Understanding Change in the Coastal Environment
Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 1:30 PM-3:00 PM

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