November 10, 2021 - Storm-soaked South Florida

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Southern Florida was swamped under widespread flooding in early
November 2021, thanks to king tides and a powerful storm that struck
the southeast from November 5-6. The storm fit the definition of a
nor’easter, which are storms more commonly associated with New England.
To classify as a nor’easter, the strong wind must blow inland from the
Atlantic Ocean and must blow from the northeast.

Nor’easters typically develop within 100 miles of the East Coast of the
United States and in the latitudes between Georgia and New Jersey. They
are uncommon in Florida but when they do, they tend to be weaker than
more northerly storms.

By November 5, the unusual and powerful storm was at full force over
the Florida, dumping as much as 8 inches (20 cm) of rain to parts of
the state. Wind gusts ranged between 50-70 mph (80-112 km/h) from
Florida’s First Coast to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, according
to The Weather Channel.

The powerful onshore winds drove the storm surge onshore just as tides
reached their near-highest level of the year. These “king tides” arrive
when the new moon aligns with the moon’s closest approach to Earth.
This close approach is called a “perigee”, and the powerful tides
created by the close approach are called “perigean spring tides” or
“king tides”. Even without storm surge, king tides can increase normal
tidal range by a couple of inches.

With the average elevation of South Florida only 6 feet above sea
level, and many areas at 3 feet above sea level, South Florida is at
high risk of for flooding and significant risk for rising sea level
driven by climate change. According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, in 2017 it was estimated that more than ten percent of
Florida’s population live at elevations of 4 inches or less above the
high tide level. Single events like this single strong storm can cause
widespread flooding, which may last for days or weeks due to
difficulties in drainage of the low-lying region. The southeast Florida
counties are collaborating through the regional Climate Change Compact
to try to prepare for substantially higher seas by 2060.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board
NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of South Florida on
November 8, only two days after the end of the storm.

The coasts along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, along with the
Florida Bay (between the Keys and the mainland) are stained with the
tan, green, and blues that is typical of run-off after a heavy storm.
Some of the tint, especially in Florida Bay, may also come from a bloom
of microscopic plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton. The deep
green and tan area at the southwestern tip of Florida is the
Everglades. This large wetland, also known as the River of Grass, helps
protect low-lying terrain from the advancing ocean as well as providing
a refuge for unique wildlife. The gray pixels stretching up the
southeast coast mark the sprawling Miami metropolitan area. The metro
area encompasses the three most populous counties in Florida and many
cities, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Hialeah,
Hollywood, and Boca Raton.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 11/8/2021
Resolutions: 1km (402.8 KB), 500m (1.1 MB), 250m (2.4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-11-10

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