Challenge
Effective disaster preparedness and response depends on accurate storm surge modeling. The National Weather Service’s predictive storm surge tool, the Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model, relies on land cover data. The resolution of the land cover data can significantly affect modeling accuracy, especially for small, storm-prone islands like those in the Caribbean.
Solution
By prioritizing the availability and expansion of high-resolution land cover data, NOAA has been able to provide the data coastal communities need to ensure safety and resilience. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have seen remarkable improvements in modeling accuracy through NOAA’s 1-meter C-CAP land cover data, which have made SLOSH models more precise. This, in turn, has made these islands better equipped to prepare for and recover from extreme weather events.
