Density driven flows, due to hurricanes
A case study of hurricane Irma and Maria around Saint Martin
H. Platell (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
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Abstract
In this report a first assessment is made of the impact of hurricanes on Saint Martin. Two bays at the east coast of Saint Martin, Baie Orientale and Baie de L'Embouchure, are studied under the conditions of hurricane Irma and Maria, which both have passed over in September 2017. During these hurricanes the bays were exposed to large wind speeds up to 40 [m/s]. Also the bays were subject to runoff due to large rainfall. The runoff has been flowing into the bays as fresh water, but also as high saline waters. This due to the salt ponds which are located in the region.
The model has been run in Delft3D and as result large wind-setup driven circulations were obtained. These circulations caused a drop of waterlevel during Irma and an increase under Maria. The saline and fresh waters discharged during the hurricanes were mostly kept onshore and is distributed over the two basins.