7.

5 RESEARCH PROJECT:
NATURAL HAZARDS THREAT
ASSESSMENT

Kara Blevins
SCI 142  
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 1

7.5 Research Project: Natural Hazards Threat Assessment

The Outer Banks, North Carolina, has over 200 miles of barrier islands. The Outer Banks

contains numerous beach towns, all of which that I would love to reside in. Due to the Outer

Banks being surrounded by the Atlantic ocean, this area is very prone to hurricanes and violent

storms. There has been a change in land use in OBX, for example, “The Outer Banks,

particularly the ocean side, have always been hazardous places for man. Early inhabitants

recognized this and settled the more stable parts of the islands well inland from the ocean. Over

the last several decades, this pattern of land use has reversed. Much construction has taken place

dangerously close to the shoreline because of a desire to be near the water's edge, even though

this location clearly introduces serious risks to life and property” (Dolan & Lins, 2000, p.3).
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 2

Figure 1. Map of the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Adapted from ‘The Outer Banks Chamber of

Commerce,’ by n.a., n.d., Retrieved from https://www.outerbankschamber.com/main/north-

carolina-s-outer-banks/

In OBX, hurricanes and severe storms that lead to flooding are extremely common

natural disasters. One example includes hurricane Isabel that occurred in September of 2003.

When Isabel landed in the Outer Banks it was a category 2 with winds nearing 105 mph.

Surprisingly, for Isabel’s large storm size, the rainfall was fairly light, for example, “As

hurricanes go, Isabel was unusually dry, dropping a mere 8 inches of rain at peak points along

her path. Hurricane Floyd in 1999 deluged the coastal plain with 19 inches of relentless rain,

freshening sounds and tidal creeks in the Pamlico- Albemarle Estuarine System, where water

quality and habitat conditions were adversely affected for several months” (Smith, n.d., para.

61). A more recent hurricane would be Hurricane Irene from 2011. Hurricane Irene was a small

storm but was actually able to open a new inlet on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks.

Figure 2. Photograph

of the inlet created by

hurricane Irene in

2011. Adapted from

‘Coastal Care’ By R.

Young and A. Coburn,

Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 3

2011, Retrieved from https://coastalcare.org/2011/08/hurricane-irene-opens-new-inlets-on-

hatteras-island/

It’s certainly a risk to live in the Outer Banks, as it is to live in areas near large bodies of

water. Since hurricanes need water to continue moving, and the Outer Banks are surrounded by

water, it puts OBX at higher risk. According to the National Ocean Service, “Hurricanes are

powerhouse weather events that suck heat from tropical waters to fuel their fury. These violent

storms form over the ocean, often beginning as a tropical wave—a low pressure area that moves

through the moisture-rich tropics, possibly enhancing shower and thunderstorm activity”

(NOAA, 2020, para. 1). Once again, showing that because the Outer Banks are surrounded by

water the likelihood of this hazard impacting OBX is very high. There is also flooding in the

Outer Banks because of hurricanes, heavy storms, and even just rain. As shown in figure 4.

below, this puts homes, dunes, and dune vegetation at risk for destruction.

Figure 4. Imagery to show the flooding in Dare County. Adapted from ‘Kill Devil Hills, North

Carolina,’ By n.a., n.d., Retrieved from https://www.kdhnc.com/135/Flood-Prevention-

Information-Maps
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 4

In 2019 the NOAA forecasted that the conditions were more favorable for above normal

Atlantic hurricane activity as shown in figure 5 below.

Figure 5. Pie chart showing the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season outlook where the above normal

hurricanes went from 30% to 45%. Adapted from ‘The Outer Banks Voice,’ n.a., n.d., Retrieved

from https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2019/08/08/noaa-says-above-normal-hurricane-activity-

now-more-likely/

All in all, the risk of hurricanes in the Outer Banks is not going away anytime soon, and

those who live in the Outer Banks will have to continue to deal with powerful storms and

flooding.

There are many consequences to the natural hazards that occur in the Outer Banks. These

consequences include property damage, injury, fatality, beach erosion, and ocean over wash.

According to the National Weather Service, in North Carolina, there were 149.25 million dollars
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 5

in property damage in just 2019 alone along with 16 fatalities (National Weather Service, 2019).

This amount is very small compared to the 503.3 million dollars in property damage from 2003

(the year when hurricane Isabel took place). Ocean over wash is very common because the Outer

Banks is surrounded by water and the roads are near the beaches. Therefore, as soon as a strong

storm or hurricane comes through, the ocean gets violent- often leading to the destruction of

buildings and roads.

Figure 3. Photograph of highway 12 destroyed by ocean over wash from hurricane Dorian.

Adapted from ‘The Virginia-Pilot,’ By J. Hampton, 2019, Retrieved from

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/transportation/vp-nw-highway-repairs-20191027-

ziblgmi3bbewnmhiymtm2ludea-story.html

In Dare county, they suggest having homeowners take an inventory of everything in their

home and video it, this way in the event of a disaster, it’s easier to deal with insurance claims.

They also suggest that locals know evacuation routes, clean rain gutters clean, trim tree branches

often, and advise to not walk through any floodwaters due to contamination. Once a storm is
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 6

over damage assessment teams are sent out to survey the damage. They also warn that if

someone chooses to stay in the storm that emergency personal will not risk their own lives if you

choose not to evacuate (Dare County, n.d., p.6). In the end, local officials determine what

protective measures need to be put in place and when. They advise anyone in the area to stay

informed from the television, NOAA weather radio, the internet, Twitter, Facebook, their email,

and apps designed to send alerts out to that specific area.

Overall, I have learned significantly more about the natural hazards in the Outer Banks

and how it could affect me if I ever chose to live there. I don’t believe that I would still want to

live in the Outer Banks after writing this report. In this case, the risk outweighs the reward.

While it may be beautiful to live somewhere surrounded by the ocean, one storm and the

highways are gone (as shown with hurricane Dorian). It’s a beautiful place to vacation, but for

homeowners, the Outer Banks seems like a nightmare. Even just a thunderstorm can cause

serious flooding that damages properties in OBX. Therefore, after writing this paper I have

decided that the Outer Banks isn’t somewhere I would like to reside due to the high risk of

natural hazards such as hurricanes, severe storms, and flooding.

References
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 7

Coburn, A. & Young, R. (2011, August 29). Hurricane Irene opens up new inlets on Hatteras

Island [Web page]. Coastal Care. Retrieved from

https://coastalcare.org/2011/08/hurricane-irene-opens-new-inlets-on-hatteras-island/

Dare County (n.d.) What you should know. What you should do. When a hurricane is threatening

the Outer Banks. Dare County, North Carolina. Retrieved from

https://www.darenc.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=828\

Dolan, R. & Lins, H. (2000). The Outer Banks of North Carolina. United States Geological

Survey. Retrieved from https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1177b/report.pdf

Hampton, J. (2019, September 25). Contract awarded for repairs to Ocracoke highway buckled

by hurricane Dorian [Web page]. The Virginia-Pilot. Retrieved from

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/transportation/vp-nw-highway-repairs-20191027-

ziblgmi3bbewnmhiymtm2ludea-story.html

NOAA. (2020, April 9). How do hurricanes form? [Web page]. National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Association & U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved from

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/how-hurricanes-form.html

Smith, P. (n.d.) Isabel makes history in North Carolina [Web page]. North Carolina State

University. Retrieved from https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/previous-issues/2004-

2/winter-2004/isabel-makes-history-in-north-carolina/

Coburn, A. & Young, R. (2011, August 29). Hurricane Irene opens up new inlets on Hatteras

Island [Web page]. Coastal Care. Retrieved from

https://coastalcare.org/2011/08/hurricane-irene-opens-new-inlets-on-hatteras-island/
Natural Hazard Threat Assessment 8

n.a. (2019, August 8). NOAA increases risk of ‘above normal’ hurricane season [Web page].

The Outer Banks Voice. Retrieved from

https://www.darenc.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=828

n.a. (n.d.) North Carolina’s Outer banks [Web page]. The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.

Retrieved from https://www.outerbankschamber.com/main/north-carolina-s-outer-banks/

n.a. (n.d.) Flood prevention, protections, maps & other flood-related information [Web page].

Kill Devil Hills North Carolina. Retrieved from https://www.kdhnc.com/135/Flood-

Prevention-Information-Maps