Hurricanes Climate and Socioeconomic Impacts

Hurricanes of the North Atlantic Ocean have left their imprint on the landscape and human cultures for thousands of years. In modern times, fewer lifes have been lost due, in part, to the development of modern communication systems, and to improved understanding of the mechanisms of storm formation and movement. However, the immense growth of human populations in coastal areas, which are at risk to hurricanes, has resulted in very large increases in the amount of property damage sustained in the last decade in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean regions. This book is of interest to climatologists and meteorologists and as source of information for policymakers and emergency management planners.

Section A. Climatological Perspectives.- 1 Decadal Climate Variability, Atlantic Hurricanes, and Societal Impacts: An Overview.- 2 Climate Trends Associated with Multidecadal Variability of Atlantic Hurricane Activity.- 3 Climate Variations and Hurricane Activity: Some Theoretical Issues.- 4 Numerical Simulations of Intense Tropical Storms.- Section B. Impacts of Hurricane Variability.- 5 History of the Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Since the Discovery of the New World.- 6 The Frequency and Intensity of Atlantic Hurricanes and Their Influence on the Structure of South Florida Mangrove Communities.- 7 A Socioeconomic Analysis of Hurricanes in Puerto Rico: An Overview of Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness.- Section C. Vulnerability and Policy Issues.- 8 Vulnerability to Hurricanes Along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts: Considerations of the Use of Long-Term Forecasts.- 9 The Political Ecology of Vulnerability to Hurricane-Related Hazards.- 10 Incorporating Variability in the Disaster Planning Process.- 11 Communicating Climate Research to Policy Makers.- 12 Hurricane Mitigation Efforts at the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.- Section D. Hurricane Risks and Property-Loss Insurance.- 13 Insurable Risks, Regulation, and the Changing Insurance Environment.- 14 Current and Potential Impact of Hurricane Variability on the Insurance Industry.- Closing Remarks.