A Villanova University research team has been collecting data from Florida hurricane impacts on to figure out ways to reduce future damage, writes Maryann Pugh for MyChesCo.
In October 2024, Hurricanes Milton and Helene caused tens of billions of dollars in damage to Florida.
Dr. Jonathan Hubler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, and graduate student Sarah Burghardt conducted on-site investigations in October 2024 with scientists from the NEER and GEER Associations.
The team collected data along 750 miles of Florida’s coastline.
Key study areas included storm surge, sediment erosion, debris accumulation, and the performance of shoreline protection systems.
Data was drawn from pre-storm and immediate post-storm conditions in numerous locations, including Cedar Key, Vero Beach, and Port St. Lucie.
The data comparison provides insights to reduce future storm damage, improve risk assessments and boost protection for vulnerable coastal regions.
The goal is to enhance preparedness and resilience for communities facing increasingly severe tropical storms.
Findings from this study will be share with impacted Florida communities.
It will also be made publicly available through the National Science Foundation’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure database.
Find out more about this unique research project to mitigate the damage caused by hurricanes in MyChesCo.
