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Comparison of Destructive Wind Forces of Hurricane Irma and Other Hurricanes Impacting NASA Kennedy Space Center, 2004-2017Hurricane Irma produced sustained hurricane force winds (lowest altitude occurrence at 54-ft) resulting in facility damage at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on September 10-11, 2017. Irma's large destructive wind footprint also caused significant wind damage across the adjacent communities within Brevard County. Wind damage was augmented by frequent gusts of higher magnitude, along with several embedded tornadoes. Hurricanes have previously impacted and produced significant wind damage to infrastructure at KSC as a result of kinetic energy dissipated, in part, through contact with man-made structures. This paper is intended to provide information specific to the destructive force of Hurricane Irma's sustained winds and previous hurricanes of 2004, 2005 and 2016 as calculated from sustained 10 meters per second wind speeds measured from wind towers at KSC for the onset and cessation of destructive forces. Other factors such as pre-existing condition of impacted infrastructure, upstream structures causing turbulent wind patterns, and associated severe convective weather, are contributing factors but are not analyzed here.
Document ID
20180006951
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Abstract
Authors
Sharp, David
(National Weather Service Melbourne, FL, United States)
Winters, Katherine A.
(Weather Squadron (45th) Patrick AFB, FL, United States)
Huddleston, Lisa L.
(NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Smith, Kristin A.
(NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Date Acquired
October 25, 2018
Publication Date
April 16, 2018
Subject Category
General
Report/Patent Number
KSC-E-DAA-TN48435
Meeting Information
Meeting: Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology
Location: Ponte Vedra, FL
Country: United States
Start Date: April 16, 2018
End Date: April 20, 2018
Sponsors: American Meteorological Society
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: KSC 45th-S
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
Hurricane Irma
hurricanes
NASA Kennedy Space Center
destructive wind forces
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