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Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual (2016)

Chapter: Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24610.
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78 A P P E N D I X B This appendix provides supplemental information to the response levels described in Chap- ter 5, including basic information about common hazard intensity levels and warning systems. B.1 Earthquake The moment magnitude scale is based on the total moment release of the earthquake repre- sented on a base 10 logarithmic scale. Each particular earthquake has an associated moment mag- nitude that indicates the likely geographic scope of the earthquake. For example, the Northridge, California, earthquake in 1994 registered as a M6.7 earthquake. Although moment magnitude provides an overall metric used to describe the earthquake moment magnitude, it does not provide an accurate representation of highway structure damage as this is dependent on the particular intensity of shaking at a given site. Hence, the modified Mercalli scale is more useful for determining the relative shaking intensity occurring at the site and the potential for damage to the structure. The modified Mercalli scale uses the observations of people who experience the earthquake to estimate its intensity and is rated on a scale from I–XII. The scale quantifies the effects of an earthquake on the Earth’s surface, humans, and man-made structures. It is a useful scale for determining the radius of intensity corresponding with a given earthquake. Although the North- ridge earthquake registered as a M6.7 earthquake, the perceived shaking varied by location with some areas experiencing shaking intensities up to X near the epicenter. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed ShakeMaps that provide near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following significant earthquakes (USGS 2014d). These maps can be used for post-earthquake response and recovery, refining the prioritization of sites to perform PDA, public scientific information, and preparedness planning. For pre-earthquake planning, the USGS provides scenario earthquakes to simulate intensity measures. For post- earthquake use, the near-real-time ShakeMaps provide a geographical representation to the extent of the earthquake intensities (e.g., PGA, PGV, MMI). USGS also provides the Earth- quake Notification Services (ENS) which sends automated notification emails when earth- quakes happen in a particular area (see Figure B-1) (USGS 2014b). It is recommended that interested parties responsible for emergency operations and response under emergency events sign up to ENS on the USGS website (link provided in Section 2.2). B.2 Tsunami NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) provides current and up-to-date warnings for tsunamis around the world (NOAA/NWS 2014f). A sample tsunami warning is shown in Fig- ure B-2. It is recommended to sign up for email and/or text notifications from the corresponding Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications

Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications 79 tsunami warning site based on geographical location. After an earthquake occurs, NOAA moni- tors the earthquake magnitude and determines the likelihood of a tsunami for given coastal locations. The amount of warning depends on the generation and propagation of the tsunami, but DOT managers can expect a warning of a few minutes to hours. Pacific Ocean Message Definitions (NOAA/NWS 2014f): • Tsunami Warning: A tsunami warning is issued by Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) when a potential tsunami with significant widespread inundation is imminent or expected. Warnings alert the public that widespread, dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by power ful currents is possible and may continue for several hours after arrival of the initial wave. Warnings also alert emergency management officials to take action for the entire tsunami hazard zone. • Tsunami Watch: A tsunami watch is issued to alert emergency management officials and the public of an event which may later impact the watch area. The watch area may be upgraded to a warning or canceled based on updated information and analysis. • Tsunami Advisory: A tsunami advisory is issued due to the threat of a potential tsunami which may produce strong currents or waves. The threat may continue for several hours after the arrival of the initial wave. Widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory. • Tsunami Information: Tsunami information is used to inform that an earthquake has occurred and to advise regarding its potential to generate a tsunami. In most cases there is no threat of a destructive tsunami, and the information is used to prevent unnecessary evacua- tions as the earthquake may have been strongly felt in coastal areas. The information may, in appropriate situations, caution about the possibility of a destructive local tsunami for coasts located near an earthquake epicenter (usually within 100 km). Source: USGS (2014a). Figure B-1. Example of HTML earthquake report.

80 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE. ONLY NATIONAL OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATUS IN EACH AREA AND ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE. ZCZC WEPA40 PHEB 081908 TSUPAC TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001 PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS ISSUED AT 1908Z 08 MAY 2007 THIS BULLETIN IS FOR AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS...EXCEPT ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA... WASHINGTON...OREGON AND CALIFORNIA. ... A TSUNAMI WARNING AND WATCH ARE IN EFFECT ... A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR JAPAN / RUSSIA / MARCUS IS. / N. MARIANAS A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR GUAM / WAKE IS. / TAIWAN / YAP / PHILIPPINES / MARSHALL IS. / CHUUK / POHNPEI / BELAU / MIDWAY IS. / KOSRAE / INDONESIA / PAPUA NEW GUINEA / NAURU / KIRIBATI / JOHNSTON IS. / HAWAII FOR ALL OTHER AREAS COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN, IT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS ORIGIN TIME - 1848Z 08 MAY 2007 COORDINATES - 38.2 NORTH 143.1 EAST DEPTH - 47 KM LOCATION - OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN MAGNITUDE - 8.2 EVALUATION IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS WARNING IS BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AN EARTHQUAKE OF THIS SIZE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN STRIKE COASTLINES NEAR THE EPICENTER WITHIN MINUTES AND MORE DISTANT COASTLINES WITHIN HOURS. AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS POSSIBILITY. THIS CENTER WILL MONITOR SEA LEVEL DATA FROM GAUGES NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE TO DETERMINE IF A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED AND ESTIMATE THE SEVERITY OF THE THREAT. Product header/valid time Tsunami Evaluation Watch/Warning Section Earthquake Parameters Headline Source: NOAA/NWS (2014f). Figure B-2. Sample tsunami warning message.

Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications 81 ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. THE TIME BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE TSUNAMI WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR. LOCATION COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME -------------------------------- ------------ ------------ JAPAN HACHINOHE 40.5N 142.0E 1932Z 08 MAY KUSHIRO 42.5N 144.5E 1933Z 08 MAY KATSUURA 35.1N 140.3E 1934Z 08 MAY SHIMIZU 32.5N 133.0E 2047Z 08 MAY OKINAWA 26.2N 127.8E 2148Z 08 MAY RUSSIA URUP IS 46.1N 150.5E 2016Z 08 MAY PETROPAVLOVSK K 53.2N 159.6E 2123Z 08 MAY SEVERO KURILSK 50.8N 156.1E 2130Z 08 MAY UST KAMCHATSK 56.1N 162.6E 2148Z 08 MAY MEDNNY IS 54.7N 167.4E 2150Z 08 MAY MARCUS IS. MARCUS IS. 24.3N 154.0E 2055Z 08 MAY N. MARIANAS SAIPAN 15.3N 145.8E 2159Z 08 MAY GUAM GUAM 13.4N 144.7E 2216Z 08 MAY WAKE IS. WAKE IS. 19.3N 166.6E 2223Z 08 MAY TAIWAN HUALIEN 24.0N 122.0E 2234Z 08 MAY YAP YAP IS. 9.5N 138.1E 2252Z 08 MAY PHILIPPINES PALANAN 17.1N 122.6E 2253Z 08 MAY LEGASPI 13.5N 124.0E 2312Z 08 MAY DAVAO 6.5N 126.0E 2339Z 08 MAY MARSHALL IS. ENIWETOK 11.4N 162.3E 2256Z 08 MAY KWAJALEIN 8.7N 167.7E 2341Z 08 MAY MAJURO 7.1N 171.4E 0010Z 09 MAY CHUUK CHUUK IS. 7.4N 151.8E 2258Z 08 MAY POHNPEI POHNPEI IS. 7.0N 158.2E 2312Z 08 MAY BELAU MALAKAL 7.3N 134.5E 2316Z 08 MAY MIDWAY IS. MIDWAY IS. 28.2N 177.4W 2325Z 08 MAY KOSRAE KOSRAE IS. 5.5N 163.0E 2340Z 08 MAY INDONESIA GEME 4.6N 126.8E 2346Z 08 MAY BEREBERE 2.5N 129.0E 2356Z 08 MAY PATANI 0.4N 128.8E 0022Z 09 MAY WARSA 0.6S 135.8E 0022Z 09 MAY MANOKWARI 1.0S 134.5E 0032Z 09 MAY JAYAPURA 2.4S 140.8E 0042Z 09 MAY SORONG 0.8S 131.1E 0045Z 09 MAY PAPUA NEW GUINE KAVIENG 2.5S 150.7E 0025Z 09 MAY MANUS IS. 2.0S 147.5E 0029Z 09 MAY VANIMO 2.6S 141.3E 0040Z 09 MAY RABAUL 4.2S 152.3E 0044Z 09 MAY WEWAK 3.5S 144.0E 0053Z 09 MAY AMUN 6.0S 154.7E 0109Z 09 MAY KIETA 6.1S 155.6E 0112Z 09 MAY MADANG 5.2S 145.8E 0112Z 09 MAY LAE 6.8S 147.0E 0150Z 09 MAY PORT MORESBY 9.3S 146.9E 0308Z 09 MAY NAURU NAURU 0.5S 166.9E 0043Z 09 MAY KIRIBATI TARAWA IS. 1.5N 173.0E 0056Z 09 MAY KANTON IS. 2.8S 171.7W 0224Z 09 MAY CHRISTMAS IS. 2.0N 157.5W 0337Z 09 MAY MALDEN IS. 3.9S 154.9W 0412Z 09 MAY FLINT IS. 11.4S 151.8W 0506Z 09 MAY JOHNSTON IS. JOHNSTON IS. 16.7N 169.5W 0059Z 09 MAY HAWAII NAWILIWILI 22.0N 159.4W 0153Z 09 MAY HONOLULU 21.3N 157.9W 0207Z 09 MAY HILO 20.0N 155.0W 0228Z 09 MAY Estimated Tsunami Location and Arrival Times Figure B-2. (Continued).

82 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual • Tsunami Warning Cancellation: A cancellation indicates the end of a damaging tsunami threat. A cancellation is usually issued after an evaluation of sea level data confirms that a destructive tsunami will not impact the warned area. A cancellation will also be issued following a destruc- tive tsunami when sea level readings indicate that the tsunami is below destructive levels and subsiding in most locations that can be monitored by PTWC. B.3 Tornado and High Wind High wind events are those with wind speeds ranging from 1 to 73 mph and are defined by the Beaufort scale (NOAA/NWS 2014d). The NWS offers high wind watch/warning and wind advisory notifications (NOAA/NWS 2014g). High wind message definitions: • High wind watch/warning: Issued when sustained winds of 40 mph or greater are possible/ forecast for one hour or longer, or wind gusts of 58 mph or greater for any direction. • Wind advisory: Issued when sustained winds of 31 to 39 mph are forecast for 3 hours or longer, or wind gusts of 46 to 57 mph for any direction. Tornados are classified by the EF scale and have wind speeds from 65 to over 200 mph (NOAA/ NWS 2014c). NWS and NOAA provide a tornado watch or warning advisory through the use of interactive weather maps (NOAA/NWS 2014g). Wireless Emergency Alerts are also used to send out notifications on the development and progress of tornados (NOAA/NWS 2014a). Figure B-3 shows a sample tornado warning. Tornado message definitions: • Tornado Watch: Conditions are conducive to the development of tornados in and close to the watch area. • Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted by spotters or indicated on radar and is occur- ring or imminent in the warning area. B.4 Hurricane and Strong Winds Hurricanes and tropical storms are typically predicted ahead of contact with land by the National Hurricane Center. During this time, emergency management personnel should com- pile a list of all highway structures near the predicted areas of contact. For regions of land far away from the coastline, parameters such as wind speed and precipitation should be evaluated. ES NNNN BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. THE TSUNAMI WARNING AND WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ALSO ISSUE TSUNAMI MESSAG FOR THIS EVENT TO COUNTRIES IN THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC AND SOUTH CHINA SEA REGION. IN CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION... THE MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY. THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE BULLETINS FOR ALASKA - BRITISH COLUMBIA - WASHINGTON - OREGON - CALIFORNIA. Bulletin Updates Figure B-2. (Continued).

Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications 83 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUES A OR Source: NOAA/NWS (2014g). * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHERN GRUNDY COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA... SOUTHEASTERN BUTLER COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA... NORTHERN BLACK HAWK COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA... SOUTHERN BREMER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA... * UNTIL 550 PM CDT * AT 459 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PARKERSBUR...OR 23 MILES NORTHWEST OF WATERLOO...AND MOVING EAST AT 33 MPH. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORANDO. A LARGE TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED EAST OF APLINGTON. IMPACT...YOU ARE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DESTROYED. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO HOMES...BUSINESSES AND VEHICLES IS LIKELY AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION POSSIBLE. FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. EXPECT TREES TO BE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PARKERSBURG...NEW HARTFORD... JANESVILLE...CEDAR FALLS... WATERLOO AIRPORT...DENVER AND READLYN. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... PARKSERBURG BY 500 PM CDT... NEW HARTFORD BY 510 PM CDT... JANESVILLE AND CEDAR FALLS BY 525 PM CDT... WATERLOO AIRPORT BY 530 PM CDT... DENVER BY 540 PM CDT... READLYN BY 550 PM CDT... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TO REPORT...A LARGE...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS. Counties located in the warning Information on how the tornado was detected and its location/movement (Optional) – Only for powerful and life threatening All threats in the storm How the tornado was detected and any report details The type of damage expected from the tornado Cities or other major locations in the tornado’s path – either a general list or with estimated arrival times Actions people should take if in the path of the tornado Time the warning expires Figure B-3. Sample tornado warning message.

84 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual The National Hurricane Center provides information on forecast advisories, public advisories, discussions, and wind speed probabilities for corresponding hurricanes. These advisories include the location of hurricane, wind speeds, pressure, and storm surge heights (example shown in Figure B-4). Figure B-5 highlights an example of graphical output provided by NOAA during the development of hurricanes. This figure is useful for determining the geographical extent and intensity of hurricane wind events. WTNT34 KNHC 120241 TCPAT4 BULLETIN HURRICANE IKE ADVISORY NUMBER 44 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092008 1000 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008 ...IKE CONTINUES TO GROW IN SIZE BUT HAS NOT STRENGTHENED YET... ...HURRICANE WARNING ISSUED FOR NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST... SUMMARY OF 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------- LOCATION...25.5N 88.4W ABOUT 580 MI...930 KM ESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS ABOUT 470 MI...760 KM ESE OF GALVESTON TEXAS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...100 MPH...160 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...945 MB...27.91 INCHES Product header/valid time Headline Summary Table Formatted for Parsing FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA TO BAFFIN BAY TEXAS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM SOUTH OF BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA TO BAFFIN BAY TEXAS A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN * SOUTH OF BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. A WARNING IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 36 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS. Watch/Warning Section with Changes Highlighted at the Top Figure B-4. Sample hurricane warning message.

Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications 85 ------------------------------ DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK AT 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.4 WEST. IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...17 KM/H. A GENERAL WEST- NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO...AND THE CENTER OF IKE SHOULD BE VERY NEAR THE COAST BY LATE FRIDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 100 MPH...160 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. IKE IS FORECAST TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE PRIOR TO REACHING THE COASTLINE. IKE REMAINS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 275 MILES...445 KM. Storm discussion and outlook for the next 48 hours Location and Movement Intensity Size ---------------------- $$ FORECASTER FRANKLIN NNNN Source: NOAA/NWS (2014i). THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 945 MB...27.91 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND STORM SURGE...STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS AS MUCH AS 10 TO 15 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA...WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER OF IKE MAKES LANDFALL. STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS AS MUCH AS 5 TO 7 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. THE SURGE COULD PENETRATE AS FAR INLAND AS ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE SHORE WITH DEPTH GRADUALLY DECREASING AS THE WATER MOVES INLAND. WIND...BECAUSE IKE IS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE...WEATHER WILL DETERIORATE ALONG THE COASTLINE LONG BEFORE THE CENTER REACHES THE COAST. HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST WITHIN THE WARNING AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO FIRST REACH TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH FRIDAY MORNING...MAKING OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. RAINFALL...IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ALONG THE CENTRAL AND UPPER TEXAS COAST AND OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. NEXT ADVISORY -------------- NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...100 AM CDT. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...400 AM CDT. Pressure Hazards Section Storm surge Wind Rainfall Product header/valid time Figure B-4. (Continued).

86 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual Source: NOAA/NWS (2014h). Figure B-5. Tropical storm force wind speed probabilities. Forecast/advisories provide more detailed hurricane track and wind field information. Emer- gency management personnel should prepare inspection crews for areas with high wind levels. Once the hurricane subsides, crews should be dispatched to perform PDA inspections. It is rec- ommended to inspect all highway structures within the hurricane warning area. Hurricane warning definitions: • Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are possible within the specified area. Watches are issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds. • Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected within the specified area. Warnings are issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds. • Extreme Wind Warning: Extreme sustained winds of a major hurricane (115 mph or greater), usually associated with the eyewall, are expected to begin within an hour. B.5 Storm Surge Storm surge is the rise of the water level above astronomical tide due to hurricanes. Storm surge often occurs over large areas of coastline and can damage highway structures due to repeti- tive wave loading. The storm surge heights used in Table 2-8 are consistent with hurricane categories from previous additions of the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. Storm surge heights

Emergency Event Response Levels and Notifications 87 Source: NOAA/NWS (2014h). Figure B-6. Tropical cyclone storm surge and tide probabilities. should be referenced with highway structure heights and in any cases where storm surge levels are expected to rise above the highway structure, evaluate using DDA. Figure B-6 highlights an example of graphical storm surge information provided by NOAA. These maps are useful for determining the geographical extent and intensity of storm surge water levels. B.6 Flooding Flooding is monitored by the National Weather Service (NWS) and can occur from precipita- tion, river flooding, and other weather events. Automated flood warning system (AFWS) maps are updated during the event of prolonged flooding at any location. AFWS maps highlight per- cent chance of flash flood guidance (FFG) (example shown in Figure B-7), river observations and forecasts, and precipitation estimates. FFG provides a general indication of the amount of rainfall necessary to cause small streams to overflow. River observations are used to determine the severity of flooding at rivers (minor, moderate, or major). Flooding can typically be esti- mated ahead of time due to rain and snow forecasts; however, the extent and magnitude can vary widely. Flooding Definitions (NOAA/NWS 2014g): • Near Flood Stage: Flooding begins to approach an established gage height for a given loca- tion. This gage height marks a water surface level that creates a hazard to lives, property, or commerce.

88 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual • Minor Flooding: Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat or incon- venience. Floods with 5- to 10-year recurrence interval are assumed to cause minor flooding. A flood advisory is issued. • Moderate Flooding: Some inundation of structures and roads near streams. Floods with 15- to 40-year recurrence interval are assumed to cause moderate flooding. A flood warning is issued. • Major Flooding: Extensive inundation of structures and roads. Floods with 50- to 100-year recurrence interval are assumed to cause major flooding. A flood warning is issued. Source: (NOAA/NWS 2014g). Figure B-7. Sample map of AFWS for precipitation observations (left) and river observations (right).

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TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Research Report 833: Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual is intended for managers who will oversee emergency response situations. The report identifies technologies that could be used to assess highway structures in emergency situations. The report addresses technologies that can help with prioritization, coordination, communication, and redundancy.

NCHRP Research Report 833, Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3; along with NCHRP Web-Only Document 223: Guidelines for Development of Smart Apps for Assessing, Coding, and Marking Highway Structures in Emergency Situations provides guidelines for related coding and marking that can be recognized by highway agencies and other organizations that respond to emergencies resulting from natural or man-made disasters.

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