News DetailScouting a potential hurricane zone: Dauphin Island, AL
Posted At: June 18, 2007 @ 7:20 PM
Posted By: Reed Timmer
Related Categories: Hurricanes
While visiting Mobile, AL, I decided to explore Dauphin Island, AL for sturdy structures that could serve as a shelter for us while chasing a potential future hurricane there. The western part of the island was totally under-water during Katrina, and many of the homes there were totally destroyed. Here are some pictures from this trip:
Heron/Crane on the Dauphin Island pier:
Sand Island, AL, just off the end of the Dauphin Island pier:
Sand Island, AL (above), is a large sand bar that is slowy drifting towards Dauphin Island. A few years ago, this island could only be reached by boat or raft, but now the Dauphin Island pier stretches to the island! A single powerful hurricane could eliminate this island entirely, however. With a life jacket and bike helmet, this would be the perfect place to document a cat 5 hurricane! If you wanted to be carried 30 miles inland by the storm surge.
A West Dauphin Island house that survied Hurricane Katrina:
West Dauphin Island neighborhood (under 10-15 feet of water during Katrina):
Some of these houses on the west side of Dauphin Island (above) are new since Katrina, and others actually survived the 15 foot storm surge and 100 mph wind gusts (second picture above is one such house that survived, hence the "Lucky Enough" sign). A local chief meteorologist from Mobile actually rebuilt here 3 separate times after his house was completely destroyed by 3 different hurricanes. Local officials recently constructed a massive sand berm on the Gulf of Mexico side of this neighborhood, in attempt to block future storm surges. Many residents complain that this berm blocks their view of the water, and is useless against a devastating storm surge anyway...they are probably right, but the berm will at least protect their homes from minor to moderate surges from coastal lows and weak hurricanes.
New sand berm on Gulf of Mexico side of Dauphin Island:
Looking west along the Dauphin Island sand berm:
The sand berm above was constructed this year, but is not the first berm constructed here. Previous similar sand berms on Dauphin Island were completely eroded during several tropical storm Iandfalls.
There are several large hotels/resorts with massive concrete parking garages on the central part of Dauphin Island that would serve as "perfect" shelters for a potential hurricane chase here by TornadoVideos.net. Still though, given the proximity to the shore, and the low elevation, intercepted a major hurricane on this barrier island would be extremely dangerous. Hopefully though for the residents, this senario will not become a reality this season or during any future season for that matter. Despite the relatively high probability for a landfall here, people still seem to rebuild in the same location where previous tropical storms and hurricanes caused total devastation. I guess the desire to live near the shore far outweighs the potential loss that would be sustained during a tropical cyclone landfall.
Heron/Crane on the Dauphin Island pier:
Sand Island, AL, just off the end of the Dauphin Island pier:
Sand Island, AL (above), is a large sand bar that is slowy drifting towards Dauphin Island. A few years ago, this island could only be reached by boat or raft, but now the Dauphin Island pier stretches to the island! A single powerful hurricane could eliminate this island entirely, however. With a life jacket and bike helmet, this would be the perfect place to document a cat 5 hurricane! If you wanted to be carried 30 miles inland by the storm surge.
A West Dauphin Island house that survied Hurricane Katrina:
West Dauphin Island neighborhood (under 10-15 feet of water during Katrina):
Some of these houses on the west side of Dauphin Island (above) are new since Katrina, and others actually survived the 15 foot storm surge and 100 mph wind gusts (second picture above is one such house that survived, hence the "Lucky Enough" sign). A local chief meteorologist from Mobile actually rebuilt here 3 separate times after his house was completely destroyed by 3 different hurricanes. Local officials recently constructed a massive sand berm on the Gulf of Mexico side of this neighborhood, in attempt to block future storm surges. Many residents complain that this berm blocks their view of the water, and is useless against a devastating storm surge anyway...they are probably right, but the berm will at least protect their homes from minor to moderate surges from coastal lows and weak hurricanes.
New sand berm on Gulf of Mexico side of Dauphin Island:
Looking west along the Dauphin Island sand berm:
The sand berm above was constructed this year, but is not the first berm constructed here. Previous similar sand berms on Dauphin Island were completely eroded during several tropical storm Iandfalls.
There are several large hotels/resorts with massive concrete parking garages on the central part of Dauphin Island that would serve as "perfect" shelters for a potential hurricane chase here by TornadoVideos.net. Still though, given the proximity to the shore, and the low elevation, intercepted a major hurricane on this barrier island would be extremely dangerous. Hopefully though for the residents, this senario will not become a reality this season or during any future season for that matter. Despite the relatively high probability for a landfall here, people still seem to rebuild in the same location where previous tropical storms and hurricanes caused total devastation. I guess the desire to live near the shore far outweighs the potential loss that would be sustained during a tropical cyclone landfall.
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Nice trip...bama is a total mystery to me, I'm definitely going to have to spend some time there at some point.
If you ever find yourself chasing in the fl keys, I know a place that would make a perfect shelter for documenting a hurricane...in fact, I think it's zoned as a shelter, though it isn't used as one.
In other news, I have no idea why I allow myself to be near a computer when I'm studying.
sweet reed
0107 SILVER SPRINGS SHORES MARION FL 2910 8201
PUBLIC REPORT CONFIRMED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN ON SOUTHEAST 90TH AVE. CAR FLIPPED OVER...DAMAGE TO HOME. ALSO UNKNOWN DAMAGE ON OAK ROAD. (JAX)
Silver Springs Shores is only about 10 miles southeast of me. I can confirm we were rocking and rolling here for a while. The storms built up quickly, around 8pm lightning started pretty heavily and very quickly. I could hear hail pounding on the roof at several points (no damage to cars though) but couldn't really see much, it was dark by that point, heavy rain and lightning with some wind gusts. We needed the rain though.
Hurricane chasing!? That sounds like fun. I hope to start chasing hurricanes someday, but for right now my mom thinks thats a bit to dangerous. I've been in a few tropical storms/hurricanes when I live in Virginia Beach and that's where my storm chasing passion began. Good luck to you this hurricane season.
Thanks for the info bill once day breaks comes let know about the damage my e-maill is
DareDevil01201@msn.com
Hi Reed - that bird looks like a Great Blue Heron like we have in Michigan - I did not know they were that far south in the summer? I looked up cranes and egrets and could not find one that looked like the one you saw.
Nice pics Reed! Nice to have a break to scout out shelters for the upcoming hurricane season. Keep on doing the great work you do! I come here everyday to find out about the latest weather, before I go to any other sites.
Oh, and a Tornado Watch was issued for Central Kansas just a bit ago - just the West of me. I'm sure you are all over it! :D Thanks! TJ
I live on Dauphin Island and have BeachCam at my rental cottage on the Westend on the island. The view is of my berm walkover faceing SOUTH.
Only 12 visitors can log-in currently but have a look at the live beach surf conditions.
Go to:
http://forgottengulf.com Scroll to page bottom, click on BeachCam and follow page directions.
Enjoy!