Patriot’s Day: How the Storm of the Decade Changed Our Coast

Part of the GMRI Sea State Lecture Series "Motion of the Ocean" - June 1st, 2017

John Cannon, Senior Meteorologist/Marine Program Manager of the National Weather Service

Join us for the fourth session of our Spring 2017 Joan M. Kelly Sea State Lecture Series, "Motion of the Ocean."

Throughout the series, our speakers will reflect on the many ways water moves — predictably and unpredictably — and how communities respond. Our exploration continues with Senior Meteorologist/Marine Program Manager of the National Weather Service, John Cannon. Join us on June 1 to hear his talk, "Patriot’s Day: How the Storm of the Decade Changed Our Coast."

Intense, slow moving Nor’easters can lead to coastal flooding along vulnerable communities and estuaries in Maine and New Hampshire. Recently, empirical studies in this region have also suggested that the combined, synergistic effects of storm tides and large waves created by these storms can lead to enhanced erosion and damage through wave battering. The National Weather Service in Gray, Maine has partnered with the Wells National Estuarine Reserve, Maine Geological Survey, Maine Sea Grant and other federal agencies with the goal of building a conceptual model for forecasters and other scientists to improve their prediction of erosion and inundation processes in our region. This presentation will review coastal flooding and the environmental conditions that lead to both extratropical storm surge and building of high energy waves along our coastline. Since we are at the 10th anniversary of the devastating 2007 Patriot’s Day Storm, this event will be highlighted to show the severe coastal impacts that occurred in Maine.

John Cannon is the marine program manager at the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine. He focuses on both research and operational partnerships for improved customer service of our commerce, military and public sectors. Having lived in a residence on the shoreline in Southern Maine, John has a deep appreciation and understanding of storm processes occurring in the coastal waters, surf zone and along eroding beaches.