Image Index

A false-color satellite image of Hurricane Floyd about to make landfall in North Carolina, September 14, 1999.

Hurricanes form through an exchange of warm, humid air and cold, unstable air between the upper and lower atmosphere.

Oak Island, North Carolina, was hit hard by Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

Figure 1. The coastal sand-sharing system, fair weather and foul. In fair weather, collapsing breakers and tides move sand onto the beach from offshore bars (A), sometimes creating a narrow tidepool on the beach (B). In foul weather, spilling and plunging breakers erode sand from the beach and carry it offshore to form sandbars (C). In major storms, high waves and tides move sand over and between sand dunes to form overwash fans behind the dunes (D). Overwash events often carry sand onto roads and buildings built close to the beach.

Figure 2. This exhibit at Fort Fisher Aquarium shows heights of hurricane storm surges.

Figure 3. A closeup of the exhibit, showing local storm surges.

Figure 4. Masonboro Island flattened by Hurricane Floyd.

Figure 5. The overwash fan from Hurricane Floyd on Masonboro Island.

Figure 6. An overwash fan from Hurricane Fran behind the New River Inlet.

Figure 7. Hurricanes in the 1990s eroded the dunes on the east end of Bear Island.

Figure 8. Houses on Oak Island damaged by Hurricane Floyd.

Figure 9. These dunes were destroyed, but with no structural damage to houses.

Figure 10. Houses set back from the shoreline were spared the hurricane's wrath.

Figure 11. The dangers of insufficient setback. High tide now laps at the foundations of these houses.

Figure 12. The overwash fan from Hurricane Floyd covers this residential lot.

Figure 13. Sand has covered the bottom two steps of this house.

Figure 14. Figure Eight Island.

Figure 15. This house is built as far as possible from the shoreline.

Figure 16. This house is sheltered by maritime forest.

Figure 17. This house was built in the maritime forest without disturbing or destroying it.

Figure 18. Three houses built on the dunefields of Figure Eight Island.

Figure 19. Houses built this close to the beachfront must be built like a pier to withstand a hurricane.

Figure 20. This house is being built to withstand hurricanes.