Date: Sat, 08 Oct 2016 14:47:05 EDT
Summary: USGS-South Atlantic WSC crews prepare for the next phase of Hurricane Matthew response.
The USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) has completed the deploying of Storm Surge Sensors (SSSs) and Rapid Deployment Gages (RDGs) in support of a FEMA mission assignment tasking. Hurricane Matthew is currently a Category 1 hurricane that is tracking along the Atlantic coastline of the United States. The eye of the storm is approaching the South Carolina/North Carolina line. Forecasts for rainfall and riverine flooding in the Carolinas are "historic" and compare to Hurricane Floyd.
Yesterday, all crews fell back to safe locations to ride out the storm. A total of 295 sensors at 215 locations were deployed across SAWSC in advance of the storm. The overall storm totals (including VA and FL) were 393 sensors at 290 locations, making the Matthew deployment the largest in USGS history.
Today, we have 1 2-person crew in Raleigh and three 2-person crews in Atlanta collecting water-quality storm samples. Additionally, three 2-person crews responding to Matthew along the Georgia coast were sent from Savannah to the Jacksonville, Florida area to make high-flow flood streamflow measurements.
Support staff are making plans in Norcross, Columbia, and Raleigh for the next phase of the response, which will include sensor recovery, flood measurements in SC and NC, and High-Water Mark flagging and surveying. Crews from New Jersey WSC and the Lower Mississippi-Gulf WSC are preparing to assist with the SAWSC Matthew efforts.