FLORIDA’S COASTLINE AND BEACHES

Chapter 9: Florida’s Coastline and Beaches
Florida’s stunning coastline and beaches have earned it accolades and tourists from all over the world. Anyone ob
ahead as this weather threatens to change in largely unpredictable ways.

On January 17, 2016, a violent meteorological event created an unusual oceanographic phenomenon along with
a. What type of weather was occurring in Naples during the early morning hours?

b. What was the maximum wind (gust) speed (if necessary, round it up to the nearest whole number)

c. What was the barometric pressure at that time?

Access the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Tides and Currents website: https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov

d. What was the peak water height that day and at what time did it occur?

e. What water level was predicted for that time?

f. Your text described this wave as a:

2.
a. The Gulf of Mexico Loop Current (discussed in your text) has an infamous history of affecting hurricanes that is happening in the Gulf of Mexico during this time period?

b. Researchers have discovered that, in the Gulf of Mexico, there is a tight correlation between the sea- surface h
see.

Now access the website of the National Hurricane Center and find the dates for the time that Hurricane Katrina en c. How did Katrina’s path correlate with the data you observed at NASA’s Ocean Motion site?

d. Hurricane Katrina was followed several weeks later by Hurricane Rita. Find Rita in the NHC website and observe.