Coastal Services Center

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Coastal Population Tool

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Knowing how many people live, work, and vacation in your coastal community is imperative for planning and conducting emergency response and recovery activities. As populations increase in hazard-prone areas, the protection of people, property, and natural resources becomes more complex. Viewing population and storm data together will help minimize uncertainties and empower communities to become better prepared to deal with meteorological hazards.

Graphs have been developed to show population change by decade for the period 1900-2000 (if available) versus hurricane strikes (1900-2007) for coastal counties from Texas to Maine.

Directions for Choosing a Graph

1. Select a state from the list
2. Select a county or parish located in that state
3. Click Submit
4. The graph will appear in a second window

State: (Select State) AL CT DE FL GA LA MA MD ME MS NC NH NJ NY RI SC TX VA County/Parish: (NA)

What Does the Graph Tell Me?

• The solid lines with arrows represent direct hurricane strikes (category 1-5).
• The dashed lines with arrows represent indirect hurricane strikes.
• Lines with arrowheads at the top of the graph mean the storm was inland or exiting (moving from land to water) as it passed a location.
• Lines with arrowheads at the bottom of the graph mean that it was a standard landfall (moving from water to land) as it passed a location.
• Asterisks are used when storms had a forward speed greater than 30 mph.

Benefits of Population and Storm Information

Prior to a storm event, population and storm information can help emergency managers make informed decisions about implementing hazards awareness campaigns and conducting risk assessments, as well as hazard mitigation planning, evacuation planning, emergency sheltering, and the site staging of logistical operations. During recovery, storm and population data are used for redevelopment planning, upgrading building codes, and implementing previously identified hazard mitigation measures.

Although the exact magnitude, severity, and area of impact might not be apparent until a storm impacts a populated area, population and storm data help communities proactively cope with the harm brought by winds and water.

Reference

Data and methodology adapted from NWS NHC 46: Hurricane Experience Levels of Coastal County Populations from Texas to Maine. Jerry D. Jarrell, Paul J. Hebert, and Max Mayfield. August, 1992, with updates.