Week 10: Extreme Weather

 Extreme Weather in the Bahamas:

The Bahamas is generally a hotspot of extreme weather solely because of its location. The location of the Bahamas archipelago in the Atlantic hurricane belt means that the islands are subject to regular hydro-meteorological disasters including hurricanes, storms and cyclones which occur most frequently in September, October, August and November.


Hurricanes are the most prevalent and most disastrous forms of extreme weather that occurs in the Bahamas. On average, they happen about 7 times a year. However, hurricanes often do not make landfall in the Bahamas, but turn away beforehand. The remnants then cause gusts of wind and rain on land. The most affected regions are West Grand Bahama, North Abaco, and Bimini. The most severe hurricane to make landfall in the Bahamas in the past 12 months was "Franklin" It reached a wind speed of up to 93 km/h on August 24, 2023, at 8:00 am local time near Abraham’s Bay and was 111 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponds to a tropical storm hurricane. On the open sea, speeds of up to 241 km/h were measured (category 4).

The image above i the before and aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. This hurricane occurred on August 24, 2019. It was a truly devastating weather event as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimates that 13,000 homes may have been severely damaged or destroyed across the Bahamas (about half of all homes). 
According to the Inter-American Development Bank, Dorian caused about $3.4 billion in damages, which is equal to one-quarter of The Bahamas' GDP. The death toll stands at 74 people, with 63 from Abaco and 22 from Grand Bahama, although 245 people are still missing a year later.

Being prepared for a hurricane before it hits can mean many different things. Overall,  people should follow the guidelines provided by ready.gov. They provide useful steps to minimize your risk while a hurricane is in progress. These steps are: Know Your Hurricane Risk, Make an Emergency Plan, Know your Evacuation Zone, and Recognize Warnings and Alerts.


Sources:
https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/bahamas/vulnerability#:~:text=The%20location%20of%20the%20Bahamas,%2C%20October%2C%20August%20and%20November. 

https://www.worlddata.info/america/bahamas/hurricanes.php 

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/9/4/20847941/hurricane-dorian-photos-bahamas-grand-bahama-abaco

https://reliefweb.int/report/bahamas/facts-hurricane-dorian-s-devastating-effect-bahamas#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Inter%2DAmerican,still%20missing%20a%20year%20later.

https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 5 (volcanoes)

Image
 Volcanoes in The Bahamas:      Although the Bahamas is known for its white sandy beaches and warm water, The Bahamas originated from volcanoes in the country and in the Caribbean islands that came out of the ocean to create the islands. The original islands formed about 150 million years ago. There are various volcanos spread throughout the Caribbean.  Some of the main volcanos within the area are La Soufrière, Soufrière Hills, Mount Pelée, and Mount Scenery. La Soufrière is the most recent volcano that had activity. According to Bahamas.gov On  the 9th  of April 2021, subsequent moderate eruptions increased the level of ash and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere creating hazardous conditions within the Caribbean.  Westerly winds in the upper levels have taken the majority of the volcanic ash eastward across the Atlantic to as far as the Indian Ocean, reducing its concentration in the immediate area. The Bahamas is located north...
Read more

Week 8 (Mass Wasting Hazards)

Image
  Mass Wasting Hazards in The Bahamas The Bahamas is a country with a very low peak elevation. Mount Alvrenina is the country's highest point with an elevation of only 206 feet. With the country of the Bahamas being relativity flat, Landslides are very rare. The closest natural hazard to landslides that have occurred in the Bahamas is sinkholes. There are deep sinkholes throughout the Bahamas that are filled with water that is called "Blue Holes". According to the Bahamas National Trust, d uring the Ice Age, the ice caps spread over the world causing the sea water levels to slowly fall. Underground caves formed deep in the ground as a result. At the end of the ice age ice melted and sea level rose, filling the caves with water and forming what we know today as blue holes. Some neighboring countries in the B ahamas that experience Landslides are St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Dominica of the Windward Islands. According to a website from the University of The West Indies, the ...
Read more