Forecasting Extreme Events to Increase Preparedness and Resilience
Overview
NOAA, USGS, and USACE are working together to help the country prepare for and manage the impacts of changing weather and climate patterns, particularly with regard to extreme events like hurricanes, floods, and drought.
Before, during, and after coastal storm events, USGS assesses the likelihood of beach erosion, overwash, or inundation,
and provides information to NOAA on associated coastal vulnerability and change. USGS also measures storm surge and conducts real-time monitoring of inland rivers and streams. NOAA’s National Weather Service relies on timely and accurate USGS data to issue flood warnings. Together, USGS, NOAA’s National Weather Service, and USACE are developing flood inundation maps that show exactly where flood waters will be, street by street and hour by hour.
Research and Societally Relevant Outcomes
Interagency cooperation leads to better monitoring, understanding, and prediction of weather patterns and extreme events related to climate change. More accurate and timely weather warnings help to keep communities around the country safe, and emergency planning tools like the flood inundation maps can increase awareness of potential risks, contribute to preparedness and mitigation efforts, reduce economic losses, and even save lives.
The following links provide additional information:
water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/waterwatch.usgs.gov

USGS, USACE, and NOAA’s National Weather Service collaborated to create this Flood Inundation Mapper. (Source: USGS)