Project

Impacts and Drivers of “Sou’easter” Extratropical Cyclones

Understanding atmospheric drivers and coastal impacts of extratropical cyclones with southeasterly winds.

Extratropical cyclones that produce sustained southeasterly winds, sometimes called “sou’easters”, can produce damaging wind, surge, and waves along Maine’s coastline. Two storms on January 10 and 13, 2024 featured this wind pattern and caused at least $90 million in public infrastructure damage across the state. We are partnering with the National Weather Service to examine the atmospheric circulation patterns, storm tracks, storm surge, and wave heights associated with sou’easters.

Project Goals:

  • Develop a catalog of historical sou’easter extratropical cyclones using wind station data across Maine.
  • Analyze the storm tracks and atmospheric circulation patterns associated with sou’easters and examine their links to climate modes (i.e. North Atlantic Oscillation, El Nino Southern Oscillation, etc.).
  • Investigate how extratropical cyclone storm tracks and atmospheric circulation patterns affect wave heights, storm surge, and the amplification of surge within estuaries.
  • Increase community knowledge of sou’easters.
Sou'easter
Mean sea level pressure (shading) and surface wind (arrows) from the January 10, 2024 storm at 7:00 am.

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