Date of Award
Fall 11-25-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
December 2025
Department
Geosciences
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Yijie Zhu
Abstract
Landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) are among the most destructive U.S. natural hazards, and recent storms show that damaging winds and flooding often extend far inland. This study examines inland TC wind exposure across coastal states from Texas to North Carolina using HURDAT2 data (1900–2024). Following Zhu et al. (2023), an exponential decay interpolation model and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) framework were applied to capture continuous variations in intensity and duration. Results show that TC winds can persist hundreds of kilometers inland, with States experiencing ACE levels comparable to some coastal counties. Incorporating storm structure through the radius of maximum wind (RMW) reveals that stronger cyclones are generally more compact, while weaker storms exhibit broader variability. These findings demonstrate that inland regions are more exposed to TC wind energy than previously recognized and improve understanding of inland wind decay and spatial hazard distribution.
Recommended Citation
von Bose, Naomi, "ASSESSING THE HURRICANE INLAND WIND EXPOSURE ALONG THE U.S. COASTAL STATES" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 235.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/235