Page 10 - August 2016 Life In Naples Magazine

timeIt’s that

of year

by Reg Buxton in collaboration with
Jim von Rinteln, M.A., FPEM, CEM, CFM

T he old hurricane saying advises “Hide AFTER A HURRICANE PHOTO BY
from the wind and run from the ELENA FERNANDEZ Z / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
water.” While Hurricane Wilma was a
damaging storm which scarred our city storm. Since then Naples has been spared a flooding hurricane, with Tropical
for many months after its impact on Storm Gabrielle in 2001 being the most recent storm to have any significant
October 24, 2005 – she graciously brought no surge which measured about 3–4 feet around the City. Flooding hurricanes
storm surge flooding with her. are not that uncommon to Naples, significant surge events associated with
hurricanes are said to have occurred in 1876, 1910, 1926, 1944 and 1947
The National Weather Service describes (although records are incomplete as there were few people living in the area
Storm Surge as: An abnormal rise of water during those hurricanes.)
generated by a tropical cyclone, over and above
the predicted astronomical tides. This rise in
water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal
areas particularly when a storm surge coincides
with normal high tide. A storm surge is mainly
produced by water being pushed toward the shore
by the force of the winds moving cyclonically
around the center of the storm.

This flooding, which occurs during the storm
and recedes after the storm passes, is not only
damaging to all that stands in its way – but it is
also the biggest threat to life itself. The potential
for a storm surge is the primary reason for
evacuating the city and other coastal areas in the
face of a hurricane threat.

On September 9, 1960 Hurricane Donna
passed over coastal Collier County as a category
4 hurricane bringing 135 mph winds and a
significant storm surge. The storm surge depth
was measured at 11.3 feet MSL (sic) feet at the
Naples Pier, which was severely damaged by the

10 Life in Naples | August • September • October 2016