Fire Island study continued

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Table 1. List of major precipitation and coastal-flooding events during the study period. Precipitation and maximum sustained-wind speed from published records of NOAA Long Island-Islip MacArthur Airport climatological data. Unpublished precipitation and maximum sustained wind speed data (shown in parentheses) from USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575). Maximum tide-elevation data from published records of USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575). *, occurred on multiple times or days; #, includes period of high tides and precipitation from two consecutive storms; NA, data not available.
Storm Event Number Storm Event Type Event Start Date Event End Date Event Precipitation (in.) Maximum Daily Precipitation (in.) Maximum Precipitation Date Maximum Sustained Wind Speed (mph) Maximum Sustained Wind Date Maximum Tide Elevation (NAVD88, ft) Maximum Tide Date
1 Wind 09-18-2017 09-24-2017 0.71 (0.18) 0.71 (0.18) 09-19-2017 26 (35) 09-19-2017 2.17 09-19-2017
2 Heavy Rain 09-30-2017 09-30-2017 0.70 (1.29) 0.70 (1.29) 09-30-2017 28 (26) 09-30-2017 0.94 09-30-2017
3 Wind/Heavy Rain 10-29-2017 10-30-2017 4.02 (3.80) 4.02 (3.80) 10-29-2017 41 (40*) 10-29-2017 3.52 10-30-2017
4 Wind 11-19-2017 11-19-2017 0.54 (0.28) 0.42 (0.28) 11-19-2017 35 (39) 11-19-2017 2.39 11-19-2017
5 Heavy Rain 02-10-2018 02-13-2018 1.92 (1.66) 1.58 (1.34) 02-11-2018 23* (30) 02-11-2018 0.65 02-12-2018
6 Wind/Heavy Rain# 03-02-2018 03-08-2018 4.62 (3.76) 3.11 (2.75) 03-02-2018 38 (47) 03-02-2018 3.17 03-04-2018
7 Wind/Heavy Snow 03-20-2018 03-23-2018 1.96 (NA) 1.70 (NA) 03-21-2018 26 (31) 03-21-2018 2.34 03-22-2018
8 Wind/Heavy Rain 04-16-2018 04-18-2018 1.58 (NA) 1.58 (NA) 04-16-2018 36 (NA) 04-16-2018 2.37 04-16-2018
9 Heavy Rain 08-11-2018 08-11-2018 1.00 (1.49) 1.00 (1.49) 08-11-2018 14 (18) 08-11-2018 1.42 08-11-2018
10 Heavy Rain 08-13-2018 08-13-2018 0.82 (1.31) 0.82 (1.31) 08-13-2018 16 (19) 08-13-2018 1.27 08-13-2018
11 Wind/Heavy Rain 09-09-2018 09-11-2018 1.25 (1.29) 1.10 (1.16) 09-10-2018 25 (36) 09-10-2018 2.25 09-10-2018
12 Wind/Heavy Rain 10-11-2018 10-13-2018 3.05 (2.88) 1.84 (1.95) 10-12-2018 32 (40) 10-12-2018 2.04 10-12-2018
13 Wind/Heavy Rain 10-27-2018 10-29-2018 1.54 (1.90) 1.50 (1.83) 10-27-2018 30 (NA) 10-27-2018 2.46 10-28-2018
14 Wind/Heavy Rain 11-15-2018 11-16-2018 1.31 (1.75) 1.04 (1.13) 11-15-2018 36 (NA) 11-16-2018 2.01 11-16-2018
15 Wind/Heavy Rain 11-24-2018 11-28-2018 2.90 (2.21) 1.21 (1.10) 11-26-2018 35 (NA) 11-25-2018 2.53 11-27-2018
16 Wind/Heavy Rain 12-20-2018 12-23-2018 1.75 (1.43) 1.65 (0.96) 12-21-2018 31 (NA) 12-22-2018 2.72 12-22-2018
17 Wind/Heavy Rain 12-28-2018 12-29-2018 1.24 (1.50) 1.24 (1.50) 12-28-2018 25* (NA) 12-28-2018 1.44 12-28-2018
18 Rain/Snow 12-31-2018 01-01-2019 1.51 (1.57) 1.26 (1.32) 12-31-2018 30 (NA) 01-01-2019 1.73 01-01-2019

Table 2. Maximum daily precipitation, tide elevation, and groundwater-level elevations at 5 wells in the study area. Precipitation from published records of NOAA Long Island-Islip MacArthur Airport climatological data. Unpublished precipitation data (shown in parentheses) from USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575). Maximum tide-elevation data from published records of USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575). Groundwater-level data from USGS published records for each of the 5 monitoring wells; NA, data not available.
Event Number Maximum Daily Precipitation (in.) and Date Maximum Tide Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date Maximum Water-Level Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date for Well 403922073064401 (Marsh Well) Maximum Water-Level Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date for Well 403922073064402 (Deep Well) Maximum Water-Level Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date for Well 403921073064801 (Middle Well) Maximum Water-Level Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date for Well 403921073070401 (Inland Well 1) Maximum Water-Level Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date for Well 403919073064801 (Inland Well 2)
2 0.70 (1.29)/09-30 0.94/09-30 1.38/09-30 1.34/09-30 1.32/09-30 1.73/09-30 2.02/09-30
3 4.02 (3.80)/10-29 3.52/10-30 3.07/10-30 3.02/10-30 1.99/10-30 2.25/10-30 2.48/10-30
6 3.11 (2.75)/03-02 3.17/03-04 2.79/03-06 3.19/03-04 NA 2.77/03-08 NA

Table 3. Maximum daily precipitation, tide elevation, and specific conductance at 4 wells in the study area. Precipitation from published records of NWS Long Island-Islip MacArthur Airport climatological data. Precipitation (shown in parentheses) from USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575). Maximum tide-elevation from published records of USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575). Specific-conductance data from USGS published records for each of the 4 monitoring wells.
Event Number Maximum Daily Precipitation (in.) and Date Maximum Tide Elevation (NAVD88, ft) and Date Maximum Specific Conductance (µS/cm) and Date for Well 403922073064401 (Marsh Well) Maximum Specific Conductance (µS/cm) and Date for Well 403922073064402 (Deep Well) Maximum Specific Conductance (µS/cm) and Date for Well 403921073064801 (Middle Well) Maximum Specific Conductance (µS/cm) and Date for Well 403921073070401 (Inland Well 1)
2 0.70 (1.29)/09-30 0.94/09-30 4,740/9-30 578/9-30 1702/10-6 357/9-30
3 4.02 (3.80)/10-29 3.53/10-30 6,040/11-5 2260/11-7 1642/11-04 450/11-7
6 3.11 (2.75)/03-02 3.17/03-04 7,770/3-4 783/3-2 NA 398/3-2
Event #2 – Heavy Precipitation Event – September 30, 2017

Event Discussion:
The storm that affected the study area on September 30, 2017 was characterized by heavy rain, but no substantial high tide or strong wind (fig. 3). Storm-total precipitation of 0.70 inches (in.) at Long Island-Islip MacArthur Airport (1.29 in. at USGS station 01305575, unpublished) occurred as rainfall on a single day (September 30th). Winds were generally from a north to northeasterly direction throughout the event, reaching a maximum sustained wind speed of 28 miles per hour (mph) at Long Island-Islip MacArthur Airport (26 mph at USGS station 01305575, unpublished) during the early afternoon of September 30th. This event occurred during a period of low astronomical tide as determined from NOAA station 8514779, with a maximum tide elevation of 0.94 ft (NAVD 88) at USGS station 01305575 recorded during the mid-afternoon normal high-tide cycle.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.

Figure 3. Precipitation (solid blue), tide elevation (solid magenta), and maximum sustained wind speed (dotted grey), at USGS Great South Bay at Watch Hill on Fire Island, NY tidal gage (USGS station ID 01305575) for the period September 28, 2017, to October 10, 2017 (2 days before and 10 days after the storm). Storm period shaded in grey.



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Last updated: December 2, 2022