HURRICANE SANDY 2012

Sabrina MerditaPsychology College of Arts and Sciences

WHAT IS A HURRICANE?

• A tropical cyclone resulting from low pressure system• Form over tropical or subtropical water• 74 mph and above• Categorized using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind

Scale• Typically 600 km wide• Can last several days to a week or more

HOW DOES A HURRICANE FORM?

• Release of latent heat supplied by evaporation

• Warm air rises creating low pressure

• Warm air replaced by cooler air

• Thunderstorms & rain • Tropical depression-

tropical storm-hurricane• As system moves,

clouds expand

HURRICANE SANDY 2012

TIMELINE• Originated in the Caribbean October 22nd

• Developed into a category 1 hurricane the 23rd

• Made landfall in Jamaica the 24th

• Landed in Cuba as a category 3 and moved on to Haiti on the 25th

• Several states along the coast declare a state of emergency- 26-28th

• Transportation suspended, flights cancelled, some evacuations

• Approaches land as a category 2 and winds spread out up to 175 miles from the eye

• Extra-tropical cyclone

• Hits New Jersey late night on the 29th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QkBtxiowiA

NEW JERSEY

• Mandatory evacuations for all barrier islands and other residential areas• Obama signed an emergency declaration• Storm made landfall on the 29th • 37 fatalities• Cleaning up would cost upwards of $37 billion• Approximately 350,000 houses and businesses

destroyed/damaged• Jersey Shore and Barrier Islands hit the hardest

NEW YORK

• Voluntary and mandatory evacuations issued in surge zone areas• Subways and bus systems were suspended • Highest recorded wind gust: 90 mph• Storm surges of about 14 ft• Schools remained closed through Nov 2nd

• Estimated damage was $33 billion• 48 fatalities in the city

RECORDS & EFFECTS

• Lowest barometric pressure ever recorded for an Atlantic Storm to make landfall north of Cape Hatteras, NC• Record storm surge of water into NYC• Battery Park 13.88 ft• Harbor 32.5 ft• Second largest Atlantic storm behind Olga in 2001• 8.5 million without power over 15 states• Total damage costs exceeded $60 billion dollars

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

• Hard to determine• Depends on personal experience• Gallup-Healthways poll conducted one year after• NY, NJ, CT- 25% increase in diagnosis of depression• Acute stress disorder • Life threatening situations may lead to PTSD or major

depressive disorder• Mental health often overlooked

SUMMARY

• Hurricanes form over warm water and from low pressure• Saffir-Simpson Scale• Hurricane Sandy was extremely costly and caused much

damage • Widespread impact• One of the largest Atlantic storms in history• New Jersey and New York were hit hardest• Severe weather can have psychological effects

QUESTIONS?

SOURCES

•http://wx.db.erau.edu/faculty/mullerb/Wx365/Hurricanes/hurricanes.html

•http://eschooltoday.com/natural-disasters/hurricanes/important-hurricane-words.html

•http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/world/americas/hurricane-sandy-fast-facts/

•http://www.dividedstates.com/new-jersey-damage-hurricane-sandy-photos/

•http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/30/14809600-hurricane-sandy-leaves-surreal-scenes-in-its-wake

•http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/11/6538894/32-fatalities-hurricane-sandy-new-york-city-and-still-counting

•http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/83043_Page2.html

•http://www.wjla.com/pictures/2012/10/hurricane-sandy-photos-new-york-new-jersey-damaged-flooded-by-mammoth-storm/ground-zero-inundated-27198-1876.html

•http://wx.db.erau.edu/faculty/mullerb/Wx365/Hurricanes/hurricanes.html

•http://www.livescience.com/40754-hurricane-sandy-health-impact.html

•http://weatherwonderland.blogspot.com/2012/10/extra-tropical-storm-sandy.html