HURRICANE HISTORY, EXTRATROPICAL STORMS, NOR'EASTERS AND FLOODING FOR STATEN ISLAND, NY: A REVIEW, HYDROLOGIC RESPONSE AND FURTHER GIS STUDIES

Severe storms (Extratropical and Hurricane) experienced in the New York Harbor Area occurred during the years; 1635, 1638, 1720, 1781, 1811, 1815, 1861, 1888, 1889, 1893, 1896, 1897, 1901, 1903, 1914, 1920,1927, 1932, 1935, 1938, 1944, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1960 and 1962 (Army Corps of Engineers, 1964). The summer storm of 1988 caused severe flooding in the Sweetbrook Drainage Basin. The winter storm of 1992 resulted in extensive flooding from storm surge. Severe flooding occurred during Tropical Storm Floyd (1999) when 154.43 mm of rain fell as recorded at the CSI weather Station. Benimoff (2010), in his GIS study, reported on extensive urbanization of the SLOSH zones during the period of 1898 through 2008. The hydrologic response to Hurricane Irene was: Extensive flooding in the Richmondtown area where the gaging station (USGS 01376534) at the Richmond creek Bluebelt BMP3 recorded a stage of 1.54 m instead of the normal stage of 0.3048 m; Extensive flooding in the Willowbrook area, Extensive flooding in the South, Midland and Fox beach areas. DEM’s utilized in this GIS study show the effects of Sea level rise on Staten Island, NY.