Christy's World

Hurricane Isaac and

Fairhope, Alabama

The Weather Channel.com

Introduction

Isaac impacted the shores of southern Louisiana on August 27, 2012 as a hurricane category 1 with wind speeds of 80 mph. The outer bands of the storm reached all the way to the tip of Florida's panhandle crossing Mobile Bay. On the eastern shore of Mobile Bay is the beautiful and sturdy town of Fairhope, Alabama. This hub-page will give evidence to the effects of a category 1 hurricane as far as the outer bands are concerned.

Beach Erosion

In Contrast to the Scientific American's article on "What Causes Beach Erosion?" this storm could not be stopped by lowering greenhouse gases. There is a simple function to nature and nature will be nature, just as people will be people.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-causes-beach-erosion

Beaches occur in nature due to tides bringing sand from the ocean floor and depositing it in certain areas. Then we as people become comfortable with those luxuries and wish for them to stay. In other words we decide to tell Mother Nature what to do. We even develop programs, such as Florida Department of Environment Protection Agency's Beach Erosion Control Program (BECP) to prevent those beaches from going away. Doesn't always work out that way.

In the early hours following Isaac's destruction beach erosion in Fairhope, Alabama is prevalent. The tide rose higher than predicted and continued to wash ashore following the land impact in Louisiana.

Before the Hurricane

After the Hurricane

Debris

Debris was minor. Pine needles and pine cones littered the streets and sidewalks. Branches littered the beach. No sea life was found washed ashore. Town crews were out before regular workers to pick up major debris and to see if any major damage was done for the safety of our citizens.

Water Levels

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) operates a website called Tides Online. It provides users with the most accurate graphical water level and meteorological data concerning water level stations in our country. Water level stations are placed in typical areas where hurricanes and other tropical storms generally occur. That website can be found at www.tidesonline.nos.noaa.gov

As of Wed, 8/29/12, the actual water levels have exceeded the NOAA predictions by at least three feet in all the coastal Alabama water stations. As of Wednesday morning, here in Fairhope the water levels have risen to the tops of our beaches and to the very tips of our docks.

Before the Hurricane