This document analyzes 60 years of climate data from NOAA to identify storm risk patterns for Florida. It finds that Duval, Hillsborough, and Polk Counties experienced the most wind and hail storms. June-July see the most storms. Insurance companies can use this data to better understand risk concentrations and avoid high-risk time periods. Proactive use of external data on climate, geography, and building codes can help identify existing or emerging risks.
This document analyzes the efficiency of road networks for storm chasing across the contiguous United States. It examines four variables that impact storm chasing efficiency: NEXRAD radar coverage, population centers, major river crossings, and land cover types. Maps will be created using these four variables to delineate favorable and unfavorable areas for storm chasing. The analysis seeks to provide guidance to both recreational and professional storm chasers on optimal storm chasing routes.
Recent climate volatility has increased the frequency of extreme weather events like flooding, droughts, and abnormal temperatures. As populations and infrastructure grow, society faces greater exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. Planning and adaptation are needed to increase resiliency against weather volatility and its impacts.
SE Weather Volatility White Paper - 2015Ron Sznaider
Recent climate volatility has increased the frequency of extreme weather events like flooding and abnormal temperatures. As populations grow and infrastructure expands, society faces increased exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. Preparing for and adapting to a more volatile climate requires risk planning and actions to increase resiliency. Some weather events that have become more common due to recent climate trends include excessive rainfall and flooding, extended periods of abnormal hot or cold temperatures, and drought, which stresses water supplies and increases wildfire risks. Planning for these high-impact weather hazards can help limit disruptions.
The document discusses tropical storms and hurricanes, including:
1. The Saffir-Simpson scale which categorizes hurricanes based on wind speed intensity from 1 to 5.
2. The primary impacts of hurricanes include high winds, intense rainfall causing flooding, and storm surge which can result in 90% of hurricane deaths.
3. Prediction of hurricanes is limited but seasonal forecasts can provide estimates of overall storm activity for a given season, while short term forecasts track individual storms. Landfall location is difficult to predict due to variable storm tracks.
Using Advanced Weather Intelligence to Restore Power FasterSchneider Electric
Oncor is the largest utility in Texas, serving more than three million customers. In this presentation, Kyle Stuckly from Oncor will explain the advanced weather intelligence used in order to restore power faster, as well as keep crews safe.
Deciphering flood a familiar and misunderstood riskKevin Keane
This document provides an overview of flooding risks and the flood insurance market in the United States. It notes that floods are the most common natural disaster but often misunderstood. Development in flood-prone areas has increased exposure, while climate change is causing heavier rainfall events. Better flood models now help insurers and property owners assess risk, but flood insurance pricing has remained stable despite excess industry capacity. Expertise is key to navigating the complex flood insurance market.
This document summarizes advancements in hurricane forecasting by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It describes how forecasting has improved from limited observations and hand-drawn maps to utilizing sophisticated computer models, satellites, radar, aircraft, buoys and other sensors. NOAA can now predict hurricane tracks up to 5 days in advance and accurately forecasted Hurricane Katrina's landfall. Continued enhancements to monitoring networks and models aim to further reduce impacts of hurricanes through improved preparedness.
Blackout: Extreme Weather, Climate Change and Power Outagesclimate central
Climate change is causing an increase in many types of extreme weather. To date, these kinds of severe weather are among the leading causes of large-scale power outages in the United States.
This document analyzes the efficiency of road networks for storm chasing across the contiguous United States. It examines four variables that impact storm chasing efficiency: NEXRAD radar coverage, population centers, major river crossings, and land cover types. Maps will be created using these four variables to delineate favorable and unfavorable areas for storm chasing. The analysis seeks to provide guidance to both recreational and professional storm chasers on optimal storm chasing routes.
Recent climate volatility has increased the frequency of extreme weather events like flooding, droughts, and abnormal temperatures. As populations and infrastructure grow, society faces greater exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. Planning and adaptation are needed to increase resiliency against weather volatility and its impacts.
SE Weather Volatility White Paper - 2015Ron Sznaider
Recent climate volatility has increased the frequency of extreme weather events like flooding and abnormal temperatures. As populations grow and infrastructure expands, society faces increased exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. Preparing for and adapting to a more volatile climate requires risk planning and actions to increase resiliency. Some weather events that have become more common due to recent climate trends include excessive rainfall and flooding, extended periods of abnormal hot or cold temperatures, and drought, which stresses water supplies and increases wildfire risks. Planning for these high-impact weather hazards can help limit disruptions.
The document discusses tropical storms and hurricanes, including:
1. The Saffir-Simpson scale which categorizes hurricanes based on wind speed intensity from 1 to 5.
2. The primary impacts of hurricanes include high winds, intense rainfall causing flooding, and storm surge which can result in 90% of hurricane deaths.
3. Prediction of hurricanes is limited but seasonal forecasts can provide estimates of overall storm activity for a given season, while short term forecasts track individual storms. Landfall location is difficult to predict due to variable storm tracks.
Using Advanced Weather Intelligence to Restore Power FasterSchneider Electric
Oncor is the largest utility in Texas, serving more than three million customers. In this presentation, Kyle Stuckly from Oncor will explain the advanced weather intelligence used in order to restore power faster, as well as keep crews safe.
Deciphering flood a familiar and misunderstood riskKevin Keane
This document provides an overview of flooding risks and the flood insurance market in the United States. It notes that floods are the most common natural disaster but often misunderstood. Development in flood-prone areas has increased exposure, while climate change is causing heavier rainfall events. Better flood models now help insurers and property owners assess risk, but flood insurance pricing has remained stable despite excess industry capacity. Expertise is key to navigating the complex flood insurance market.
This document summarizes advancements in hurricane forecasting by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It describes how forecasting has improved from limited observations and hand-drawn maps to utilizing sophisticated computer models, satellites, radar, aircraft, buoys and other sensors. NOAA can now predict hurricane tracks up to 5 days in advance and accurately forecasted Hurricane Katrina's landfall. Continued enhancements to monitoring networks and models aim to further reduce impacts of hurricanes through improved preparedness.
Blackout: Extreme Weather, Climate Change and Power Outagesclimate central
Climate change is causing an increase in many types of extreme weather. To date, these kinds of severe weather are among the leading causes of large-scale power outages in the United States.
Hurricanes are powerful cyclonic storms that form over warm ocean waters and have sustained winds over 74 mph. They rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and require specific conditions like warm ocean temperatures, low wind shear, and low pressure to develop. The major source of energy for hurricanes is heat released by evaporation from the ocean surface. Hurricanes are categorized using the Saffir-Simpson scale based on their wind speeds and central pressure. Significant damage from hurricanes is typically caused by high winds, heavy rainfall and flooding, and storm surge.
Flooding - A Business RIsk Mitigated by Planning and InsuranceCBIZ, Inc.
A storm’s impact can disrupt an entire supply chain network – manufacturers, distributors, warehouses and retailers. Supply chain disruptions and even short power outages can paralyze a business. Flood waters can take down a manufacturing operation for days or weeks, damage roads and bridges essential for product delivery, and destroy warehoused inventory. This article discusses current flood risk management trends.
Global catastrophic risks are risks that seriously threaten human well-being on a global scale. An immensely diverse collection of events could constitute global catastrophes: potential factors range from volcanic eruptions to epidemic infections, nuclear accidents to worldwide tyrannies, out-of-control scientific experiments to climatic changes, and cosmic hazards to economic collapse. This paper outlines how catastrophe exposures place special demands on insurer capitalization and require a distinct risk management approach. The interaction or co-variance (versus independence) of the various risks, a company faces, is an important factor in determining the company’s total capital requirements.
This document discusses developing an emergency response plan for the Atlanta, Georgia community. It identifies three major disasters that occur annually in Atlanta - winter storms, hurricanes, and floods. Winter storms can dump several inches of snow, causing flight cancellations, school closures, and disruptions to power and other services. Hurricanes bring strong winds, storm surge, heavy rain, tornadoes, and have caused deaths in the past. Floods are a common occurrence after heavy rain or snow melt, with one catastrophic flooding in 2009 causing over $500 million in property damage. The response plan will include mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery strategies to address these three disasters.
How Fortune 500 organizations use private weather companies to get more site specific weather warnings for their facilities. SkyGuard meteorologists monitor hundreds of facilities across the Country and provide more advance notice and less false alarms as compared to using government weather warnings.
This document analyzes storm data from NOAA in 2016 to draw conclusions and recommendations. It finds that:
1) Texas accounted for over half of all property damage nationwide, with Collin County alone suffering more damage than any other state.
2) Tornadoes caused the most property damage and injuries of any storm type.
3) August and September see the most lightning, heavy rain, hail, and strong winds, along with frequent tornadic and waterspout activity.
4) Flash flooding caused the most storm-related deaths in 2016, disproportionately impacting Texas and West Virginia.
Trillions of dollars of coastal properties and developments are threatened by climate change-driven sea level rise and intensifying storms according to a government study. Building codes do not currently account for future flood risks from climate change. Strategies to increase sustainability and resilience, like elevating structures, are being applied more widely to reduce flood risks. The National Flood Insurance Program covers flood damage but is strained by increasing costs of floods. Reforms are planned to shift to fully risk-based flood insurance pricing. Private flood insurance is also increasingly available and may be preferable in some cases.
Hurricane Threat and Risk Analysis in Rhode Islandriseagrant
Hurricane Threat and Risk Analysis in Rhode Island presented at the July 24, 2014 Beach Special Area Management Plan Stakeholder meeting.
Dr. Isaac Ginis, URI Graduate School of Oceanography
View the video here: http://new.livestream.com/universityofrhodeisland/StormRecoveryRI
Top 10 Actions a CIO Can Take to Prepare for a HurricaneBillatDell
Plan for the worst, hope for the best
An active hurricane season imposes an unwelcome set of additional challenges for businesses and executives. Immediate concerns include the safety and security of employees, as well as the prevention of damage to physical facilities. However, CIOs must also be prepared to successfully overcome the challenge of maintaining business continuity in the event of a hurricane. Short and long-term impacts on customers, suppliers, partners, and employees can arise if communications and critical IT systems are lost or down for even a short period of time as the result of a storm.
Business continuity and business viability are closely linked. In the days and months following these recent devastating hurricanes, a handful of businesses fared much better than average. These companies had a combination of the right disaster recovery program in place and had technology solutions to maintain contact with their employees, customers, vendors, and ‘the outside world’. They executed strategies with built-in flexibility to swiftly react to situations and ultimately provided excellent resilience for their organizations. While many companies struggled for months to bring their operations and staff back to capacity, these organizations remained open for business, quickly relocated staff, maintained effective internal & external communications and were able to maintain operations without a devastating financial impact.
"The Role of Property/Casualty Insurance in Catastrophic Events" - Sandra G. Parrillo, CPCU, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Hurricanes are powerful cyclonic storms that form over warm ocean waters and have sustained winds over 74 mph. They have a counter-clockwise rotation and low atmospheric pressure at the center. The hurricane season runs from June to November in the Atlantic. Hurricanes gain their energy from heat released by water evaporation. They have an eye, rainbands spiraling inward, and outer bands spiraling outward. Strength is measured by wind speed and pressure. The costliest hurricanes in recent US history have caused extensive damage and flooding due to increased development in vulnerable coastal areas.
The document summarizes a presentation about how climate change is increasing catastrophic losses for the insurance industry. It discusses how more frequent natural disasters are impacting home insurance profits and driving needs for improved location data. The presentation outlines six steps for insurers to leverage location data and analytics to better manage risks, underwrite policies, and improve marketing, claims, and post-event analysis. This includes using precise location data to predict risks, model portfolios, respond faster to events, and gain insights into customers.
- The study examined severe thunderstorm events in the Mid-Atlantic region from 2000-2015, focusing on spearhead echoes (SHEs), which are localized features that produce straight-line wind damage.
- On average, 27-28 SHE/derecho events occurred per year in the Mid-Atlantic, nearly 90% between May-September. 180 events affected Pennsylvania, including 16 derechos and 86 classic SHEs.
- The study analyzed radar data from select Pennsylvania SHE events, finding appendages pointed in the storm's direction of motion associated with wind damage reports. Improved modeling of cold pools may help forecast these challenging events.
Report: Hurricanes and Transportation Impacts, PreparationBethany Cramer
Hurricanes have massive and lasting impacts on transportation capacity and spend. Zipline Logistics shares data findings tied to freight spend, looks at 2018 Hurricane predictions, and provides tips for building a more resilient supply chain to withstand natural disasters.
There were three times as many natural disasters between 2000 to 2009 as compared to the amount between 1980 and 1989. As a result, companies and organizations need to be prepared for natural disasters by planning, preparing, and having the ability to continue operations even after such events. Additionally, some disruptions like certain weather patterns are becoming more predictable due to increased data and technology, allowing organizations to take preventative action in advance. Overall, disruptions from any cause should be considered the norm that businesses plan for rather than anomalies.
GEOGRAPHY UNIT 1 Module 3 natural events and hazards. section 5 response to ...Liam Nabbal
This document discusses natural hazards, focusing on hurricanes. It provides the following key points:
1) Hurricanes cause significant damage and loss of life in the Caribbean and Central America. Improved warning systems and preparation have dramatically reduced hurricane deaths over time.
2) Assessing hurricane risk involves determining if an area is prone to hurricanes, studying past storms and land use, and considering future population changes.
3) Mitigation strategies include avoiding high-risk coastal and flood-prone areas, using building codes to strengthen structures, and preparing communities to respond to emergencies.
Weather and Decision Support for Emergency ManagersTodd Morris
This document summarizes a presentation given by Todd Morris from NOAA/NWS and Jay Rosenthal from Air, Weather & Sea Conditions, Inc. at the 93rd AMS Annual Meeting in Austin, TX from January 6-10, 2013. The presentation discusses how weather is a decisive factor for emergency response and outlines various meteorology concepts, operationally available forecasts, and planning/real-time information resources that the NWS provides to help emergency responders and planners understand weather impacts. Key points included how weather parameters can vary seasonally, diurnally, and hourly and impact issues like hazardous plumes, emergency operations, and more.
How location can mitigate risk exposure to your inaurance portfolioDMTI Spatial
On March 11th, 2015 Canadian Underwriter magazine and DMTI Spatial partnered to broadcast a webinar on how location can provide the pivot-point to reducing risk exposure on your book of business for the Canadian insurance industry
To view the archive - please go to: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/j8frvavt
Featuring PSEG’s Heidi Swanson, Director of Field and Metering Operations,
and Tracy Kirk, Manager of Customer Technology.
Facilitated by DNV KEMA's Don Denton, Vice President of Grid Modernization
(Formerly with Duke Energy)
Hurricanes are powerful cyclonic storms that form over warm ocean waters and have sustained winds over 74 mph. They rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and require specific conditions like warm ocean temperatures, low wind shear, and low pressure to develop. The major source of energy for hurricanes is heat released by evaporation from the ocean surface. Hurricanes are categorized using the Saffir-Simpson scale based on their wind speeds and central pressure. Significant damage from hurricanes is typically caused by high winds, heavy rainfall and flooding, and storm surge.
Flooding - A Business RIsk Mitigated by Planning and InsuranceCBIZ, Inc.
A storm’s impact can disrupt an entire supply chain network – manufacturers, distributors, warehouses and retailers. Supply chain disruptions and even short power outages can paralyze a business. Flood waters can take down a manufacturing operation for days or weeks, damage roads and bridges essential for product delivery, and destroy warehoused inventory. This article discusses current flood risk management trends.
Global catastrophic risks are risks that seriously threaten human well-being on a global scale. An immensely diverse collection of events could constitute global catastrophes: potential factors range from volcanic eruptions to epidemic infections, nuclear accidents to worldwide tyrannies, out-of-control scientific experiments to climatic changes, and cosmic hazards to economic collapse. This paper outlines how catastrophe exposures place special demands on insurer capitalization and require a distinct risk management approach. The interaction or co-variance (versus independence) of the various risks, a company faces, is an important factor in determining the company’s total capital requirements.
This document discusses developing an emergency response plan for the Atlanta, Georgia community. It identifies three major disasters that occur annually in Atlanta - winter storms, hurricanes, and floods. Winter storms can dump several inches of snow, causing flight cancellations, school closures, and disruptions to power and other services. Hurricanes bring strong winds, storm surge, heavy rain, tornadoes, and have caused deaths in the past. Floods are a common occurrence after heavy rain or snow melt, with one catastrophic flooding in 2009 causing over $500 million in property damage. The response plan will include mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery strategies to address these three disasters.
How Fortune 500 organizations use private weather companies to get more site specific weather warnings for their facilities. SkyGuard meteorologists monitor hundreds of facilities across the Country and provide more advance notice and less false alarms as compared to using government weather warnings.
This document analyzes storm data from NOAA in 2016 to draw conclusions and recommendations. It finds that:
1) Texas accounted for over half of all property damage nationwide, with Collin County alone suffering more damage than any other state.
2) Tornadoes caused the most property damage and injuries of any storm type.
3) August and September see the most lightning, heavy rain, hail, and strong winds, along with frequent tornadic and waterspout activity.
4) Flash flooding caused the most storm-related deaths in 2016, disproportionately impacting Texas and West Virginia.
Trillions of dollars of coastal properties and developments are threatened by climate change-driven sea level rise and intensifying storms according to a government study. Building codes do not currently account for future flood risks from climate change. Strategies to increase sustainability and resilience, like elevating structures, are being applied more widely to reduce flood risks. The National Flood Insurance Program covers flood damage but is strained by increasing costs of floods. Reforms are planned to shift to fully risk-based flood insurance pricing. Private flood insurance is also increasingly available and may be preferable in some cases.
Hurricane Threat and Risk Analysis in Rhode Islandriseagrant
Hurricane Threat and Risk Analysis in Rhode Island presented at the July 24, 2014 Beach Special Area Management Plan Stakeholder meeting.
Dr. Isaac Ginis, URI Graduate School of Oceanography
View the video here: http://new.livestream.com/universityofrhodeisland/StormRecoveryRI
Top 10 Actions a CIO Can Take to Prepare for a HurricaneBillatDell
Plan for the worst, hope for the best
An active hurricane season imposes an unwelcome set of additional challenges for businesses and executives. Immediate concerns include the safety and security of employees, as well as the prevention of damage to physical facilities. However, CIOs must also be prepared to successfully overcome the challenge of maintaining business continuity in the event of a hurricane. Short and long-term impacts on customers, suppliers, partners, and employees can arise if communications and critical IT systems are lost or down for even a short period of time as the result of a storm.
Business continuity and business viability are closely linked. In the days and months following these recent devastating hurricanes, a handful of businesses fared much better than average. These companies had a combination of the right disaster recovery program in place and had technology solutions to maintain contact with their employees, customers, vendors, and ‘the outside world’. They executed strategies with built-in flexibility to swiftly react to situations and ultimately provided excellent resilience for their organizations. While many companies struggled for months to bring their operations and staff back to capacity, these organizations remained open for business, quickly relocated staff, maintained effective internal & external communications and were able to maintain operations without a devastating financial impact.
"The Role of Property/Casualty Insurance in Catastrophic Events" - Sandra G. Parrillo, CPCU, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Hurricanes are powerful cyclonic storms that form over warm ocean waters and have sustained winds over 74 mph. They have a counter-clockwise rotation and low atmospheric pressure at the center. The hurricane season runs from June to November in the Atlantic. Hurricanes gain their energy from heat released by water evaporation. They have an eye, rainbands spiraling inward, and outer bands spiraling outward. Strength is measured by wind speed and pressure. The costliest hurricanes in recent US history have caused extensive damage and flooding due to increased development in vulnerable coastal areas.
The document summarizes a presentation about how climate change is increasing catastrophic losses for the insurance industry. It discusses how more frequent natural disasters are impacting home insurance profits and driving needs for improved location data. The presentation outlines six steps for insurers to leverage location data and analytics to better manage risks, underwrite policies, and improve marketing, claims, and post-event analysis. This includes using precise location data to predict risks, model portfolios, respond faster to events, and gain insights into customers.
- The study examined severe thunderstorm events in the Mid-Atlantic region from 2000-2015, focusing on spearhead echoes (SHEs), which are localized features that produce straight-line wind damage.
- On average, 27-28 SHE/derecho events occurred per year in the Mid-Atlantic, nearly 90% between May-September. 180 events affected Pennsylvania, including 16 derechos and 86 classic SHEs.
- The study analyzed radar data from select Pennsylvania SHE events, finding appendages pointed in the storm's direction of motion associated with wind damage reports. Improved modeling of cold pools may help forecast these challenging events.
Report: Hurricanes and Transportation Impacts, PreparationBethany Cramer
Hurricanes have massive and lasting impacts on transportation capacity and spend. Zipline Logistics shares data findings tied to freight spend, looks at 2018 Hurricane predictions, and provides tips for building a more resilient supply chain to withstand natural disasters.
There were three times as many natural disasters between 2000 to 2009 as compared to the amount between 1980 and 1989. As a result, companies and organizations need to be prepared for natural disasters by planning, preparing, and having the ability to continue operations even after such events. Additionally, some disruptions like certain weather patterns are becoming more predictable due to increased data and technology, allowing organizations to take preventative action in advance. Overall, disruptions from any cause should be considered the norm that businesses plan for rather than anomalies.
GEOGRAPHY UNIT 1 Module 3 natural events and hazards. section 5 response to ...Liam Nabbal
This document discusses natural hazards, focusing on hurricanes. It provides the following key points:
1) Hurricanes cause significant damage and loss of life in the Caribbean and Central America. Improved warning systems and preparation have dramatically reduced hurricane deaths over time.
2) Assessing hurricane risk involves determining if an area is prone to hurricanes, studying past storms and land use, and considering future population changes.
3) Mitigation strategies include avoiding high-risk coastal and flood-prone areas, using building codes to strengthen structures, and preparing communities to respond to emergencies.
Weather and Decision Support for Emergency ManagersTodd Morris
This document summarizes a presentation given by Todd Morris from NOAA/NWS and Jay Rosenthal from Air, Weather & Sea Conditions, Inc. at the 93rd AMS Annual Meeting in Austin, TX from January 6-10, 2013. The presentation discusses how weather is a decisive factor for emergency response and outlines various meteorology concepts, operationally available forecasts, and planning/real-time information resources that the NWS provides to help emergency responders and planners understand weather impacts. Key points included how weather parameters can vary seasonally, diurnally, and hourly and impact issues like hazardous plumes, emergency operations, and more.
How location can mitigate risk exposure to your inaurance portfolioDMTI Spatial
On March 11th, 2015 Canadian Underwriter magazine and DMTI Spatial partnered to broadcast a webinar on how location can provide the pivot-point to reducing risk exposure on your book of business for the Canadian insurance industry
To view the archive - please go to: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/j8frvavt
Featuring PSEG’s Heidi Swanson, Director of Field and Metering Operations,
and Tracy Kirk, Manager of Customer Technology.
Facilitated by DNV KEMA's Don Denton, Vice President of Grid Modernization
(Formerly with Duke Energy)
Enhanced data collection methods can help uncover the true extent of child abuse and neglect. This includes Integrated Data Systems from various sources (e.g., schools, healthcare providers, social services) to identify patterns and potential cases of abuse and neglect.
We are pleased to share with you the latest VCOSA statistical report on the cotton and yarn industry for the month of March 2024.
Starting from January 2024, the full weekly and monthly reports will only be available for free to VCOSA members. To access the complete weekly report with figures, charts, and detailed analysis of the cotton fiber market in the past week, interested parties are kindly requested to contact VCOSA to subscribe to the newsletter.
1. 60 Years of Climate to Florida
Data source: NOAA
Author: Avaneesh Kumar
Smart Underwriters always try to minimize the property risk by evaluating a number of
parameters. Climate and Weather are the essential elements of Insurance Underwriting
decisions, For Instance - An area which has received a large number of hailstorms in the past
is likely to receive them in future as well, indicates that the risk of claims due to hail storms is
higher. Similarly, If insurance companies are aware of the parameters of properties which are
affected by a tornado, they can selectively choose the properties for insurance/reinsurance
which can withstand the effects of a tornado.
In this report, we discuss the stories unearthed from the analysis of past 60 years of climate
storms - Hail, Winds, and Tornados data. This report provides the information such as - the
areas - city, state, zip codes which got hit by storms in maximum number, The perils which are
linked with maximum loss and fatalities, The time period which receives the maximum number
of storms and filed maximum property claims.
The entire data is obtained from NOAA official sources. The data was cleaned and further
enriched with new information such as exact latitudes, longitudes along with the parsed and
precise addresses. The summary stats of data are presented in the following table:
Peril Records - Entire US Records - Only Florida
Wind 393,486 10,296
Hail 335,840 4,859
Tornado 62,208 3,288
2.
The Storms Timeline
Though there seems to exist a data leak during the initial years from 1950-1985, the relative
stats shows that the frequency of WindStorms is highest followed by Hails and then Tornados.
Though the frequency of Tornadoes is low but the total cost related to its property damage is
very high making the claims filed by Tornados as the most severe and costly perils.
Action Items: Insurance companies should use external data sources to shift from a reactive
model to a proactive model by investing in real-time risk and yield management. Use of
telematics and real-time sensor data within the operations and work flows should be
encouraged to help manage the business more effectively, underwrite risk, compress time
lags, and reduce claims activity/processing
3.
The Storms Time Periods
As suggested by the data, these perils occur throughout the year but the months of June - July
receives the maximum number of storms in Florida specifically from Winds and Hails.
Insurance Companies can exploit this information and may avoid writing new policies before
the months of severe storms. They can combine the time-related information with other
attributes to make their decisions wiser.
An increasingly useful data source is “macro” environmental information such as geocoding,
satellite imagery, census, building code, natural catastrophe, environmental and climate data.
When integrated with a carrier’s own data (such as risk penetration and geographic footprint),
the resulting insights can proactively identify significant existing or potential risk concentration
threats, and support a portfolio management approach to managing risk and profitability.
These insights may be less obvious at the individual transaction level but can help to uncover
deep and potentially destabilizing ripple effects well ahead of an actual loss event.
4.
Area Wise Distributions
The data suggest that Duval County (799) which lies in the East side of Florida and
Hillsborough (787) and Polk (692) Counties which lies in the West side of Florida have
witnessed the maximum number of storms. Due to a large number of these storms, the total
loss incurred by them is also highest.
5.
Snapshot of WindStorms
Florida has witnessed Windstorms throughout history, but the number of storms has increased
significantly (4,187, 41%) in the last 10 years. According to the Saffir-Simpson scale,
Windstorms become Hurricanes when the Magnitude (in knots) becomes 100+. The overall
average magnitude of windstorms in the past 60 years is about 60 knots which is just less than
the Category 1 hurricanes, while it has often reached the magnitude of about 90 knots which is
the average magnitude of Category 3.
Areas affected by Wind Storms
6. County Wind Storms Average Magnitude
Duval 497 39.08
Leon 456 41.60
Hillsborough 380 22.02
Marion 331 33.78
Alachua 325 32.15
In Duval County, the cities Jacksonville (112, 23 %) and Urban Core (88, 18 %) were hit in
maximum numbers. The Street named Frazier St has shown to be the maximum hit in these
cities. Similarly, Tallahassee (315, 69 %) in Leon county and Dog Lake Tower Rd was affected
the most however but the impact is mostly distributed in the whole city. Tampa (88, 23 %) and
Northwest Tampa (52, 13 %) are the cities with the most count, specifically Marie Antoinette Ct
in Tampa and W Virginia Ave in Northwest Tampa in Hillsborough County. Ocala (97, 29 %)
and Historic District (54, 16 %) in Marion County are the areas with the most count and also SE
47th Ave in Ocala is the street with the most number of counts. SE 2nd Ave in Gainesville (165,
51 %), Alachua counties are the streets and cities with the most count in this county.
While comparing the total loss caused by Wind Storms, the following areas have garnered
maximum.
1. Leon County (935, 7%)
2. Hillsborough County (661, 5%)
3. Polk County (496, 3.4 %)
4. Escambia County (481, 3.3 %)
5. Santa Rosa County (460, 3.2 %)
Miccosukee Rd in Tallahassee City (585, 62 %) is the street and city with most loss in history in
Leon County, whereas Governor's Walk (121, 13%) is the city with second-most wind loss.
Northwest Tampa (114, 17%) and Tampa(101, 15%) has the highest sum of loss_rating,
specifically in W Virginia Ave in Northwest Tampa and Theresa Arbor Dr in Tampa with the
highest sum of loss in streets in Hillsborough County. Lakeland (116, 23%) and Winter
Haven(73, 15%) where E Park St and Ave B SE are the respective streets in the cities of Polk
County. N Spring St in Downtown (118, 25% ) and Pensacola city ( 83, 17 %) is the most
impacted street and city in Escambia County. Milton city (227, 49%) and specifically Russell
Harber Rd is the street most impacted in Minton City in Santa Rosa County.
7. Years 2015, 2011, 2016, 2014 had the highest wind_count value which suggests that
windstorms are increasing with increasing years. But, the maximum loss was in years 2000,
1998, 1999, 2011, 2014, 2012 so loss has reduced due to better construction practices and
lesser variance in speed (data suggests).
Action Items -
- Approximately 85% of all windstorm-related insurance claims are due to roof damage
so a thorough inspection of roof builds quality, material type, age of a roof (if
reconstructed), age of the house, the shape of roof etc.
- May ask homeowners to purchase separate windstorm insurance to provide coverage
for damages in the riskiest areas(maximum loss areas specific).
- Houses should be categorised on some prerequisites or rated on the basis of this list
during risk profiling and underwriting or build a model that can do this for the business.
- Offer a discount if certain risk mitigation techniques or investment has already been
made by the property owner against wind damage.
- Grouping together areas of similar risk by peril, to allow underwriters and managers to
overlay their portfolio of business and streamline decision making for future risk
allocation.
Key Tips to minimize the Wind Damage
- Trim back tree branches to prevent fallen limbs.
- Secure window shutters to defend against debris.
- Tie-down anything that could fly away and hit the siding or the roof.
- If the siding is looking worse for wear, have a siding professional come out to repair it.
8.
Snapshot of HailStorms
Florida suffers from more thunderstorms than any other state in the US due to its geographical
location and also suffers from a lot of hurricanes which in turn gives rise to tornadoes and
which favours the formation and movement of hail clouds. The movement of clouds takes
place towards the low-pressure areas, areas which are relatively hotter (central part of Florida).
- refer link for better understanding
The freezing level in a Florida thunderstorm is so high; hail often melts before it reaches the
ground. Even though hail is not common to the state, there have been about a dozen events of
the hail of over 3 inches being reported in Florida. Although hail events have decreased in the
last 10-15 years, research (data) shows the hail size has increased causing more damage than
before to crops, cars, roofs and in severe cases, fatality.
Action Items
- In the high risk, areas focus more on homes with better roof material, clear outdoors,
Window material, shingles and other, charge according to the risk profiling.
- Similarly, charge a higher premium from high-risk areas.
- Increase the deductibles so less number of people file for claims.
- Live update to the insurance holders is a safety precaution that can also help the
company reduce claims and damage to the property
9. Areas affected by Hailstorms
County Hailstorms Maximum Size (inches)
Hillsborough County 273
2.75
Duval County 237
2.75
Polk County 236
4.50
Orange County 225
3.00
Miami-Dade County 217
4.00
Hillsborough County, in central west Florida, faced maximum Hail-Storms, specifically, streets
named W Virginia Ave in Tampa city (109, 40%) and N Larry Cir street in Brandon city (35, 13
%) had the highest count of hails in Hillsborough County. Likewise, Jacksonville city (221,
93.248 %) has the highest hail events where Frazier St is the street with the highest hails in
Jacksonville, Duval County. Lakeland (74, 31 %) is the city with the highest hails where the
street with maximum hails is E Park St in Polk County. E Amelia St in Orlando(143, 63%) is
the street in city and city respectively with highest hail events in Orange County.
SW 4th Ave street in Miami city(79, 36%), Miami-Dade County has the highest number of hail
events.
Loss due to Hail Storms represented a slightly different story, top countries with most of the
loss are -
10. Polk County (74, 13 %), Orange County (48, 8 %), Hillsborough County (27, 5%), Marion
County (21, 4%), Lake County (20, 3 %)
Lakeland (26, 35 %) and Lake Wales (18, 24 %) has the highest sum_loss_rating in Florida
according to data where Lake Wales has higher mean_loss_rating in Polk County.
Furthermore, E Park St in Lakeland and S Lakeshore Blvd in Lake Wales has the highest
sum_loss_rating. Similarly, E Amelia St is the street with the highest loss_rating in Orlando
city (37, 77%) which has the highest sum_loss_rating in Orange County. Tampa(12, 40.0 %)
and Brandon(6, 20.0 %) are the cities with the highest loss due to hail, specifically, W Virginia
Ave and N Larry Cir are the streets with highest sum_loss_rating in Hillsborough County.
Ocala(5, 23 %) and Silver Spring(5, 24 %) are the cities and Wenona Ave and NE 14th Street
Rd in the respective cities have the highest loss due to hail. Tavares(11, 55.0 %) in the city and
Lake Dora Dr is the street name where maximum loss due to hail occurred.
According to years and occurrence pattern in Hailstorms (year) -
1992, 1991, 1996, 1999 and 2005 are the years with maximum hail loss-rating i.e. loss due to
hail. Thus, hailstorm events have decreased with an increasing year in last few years i.e.
1999, 2003, 2001, 1998 and 2007 had the highest number of hail_stroms.
- There is a different pattern between 1985 to 2000 (from the data)
- Average wind speed has been constant for the last 6-7 years but higher than before.
- Lesser number of hail events than wind events in mostly each month.
- Max_wind_loss occurs in the month’s May, June, July & August.
Hail_size showed an upward inclination with increasing average mean temperature in various
parts in the US, whereas the events of hail have reduced with the passing year for the last 10
years. Hail events are dependent on windstorms and thunderstorms. Further References - Hail
Size, Hail-case-study & Average Temperature
Action Items (Minimise the Hail Damage)
● Install wind shutters designed to defend against high winds and hail.
● Purchase & install pressure or high impact windows.
● Secure doors with heavy-duty bolts at the top and bottom of the door frame.
Hail can cause damage to many parts of the home, but it most commonly hits the roof the
hardest. A damaged shingle, in particular, can allow water to get through to the roof deck and
cause harm to the ceiling and support beams. This will eventually lead to more leaks in the
roof, stains on the ceiling and walls, and potential flooding. The cost to repair a roof following
such damages will be expensive, but holding off could lead to even more costly repairs down
the road. It’s best to perform repairs as quickly as possible. The two types of repairs one might
be faced will include: Asphalt and Other Singles (Wood, Metal, Tile)
11. Snapshot of Tornadoes
Truly destructive tornadoes are most frequently reported in Florida during the spring and
summer; the most powerful usually strike in spring. Tornadoes develop from severe
thunderstorms. They are usually preceded by very heavy rain and/or large hail. A thunderstorm
accompanied by hail indicates that the storm has large amounts of energy and may be severe.
In general, the larger the hailstones, the more potential there is for damaging winds and/or
tornadoes. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind
speeds of 250 mph or more.
Damage paths have exceeded the width of one mile and 50 miles long. Tornadoes generally
move from southwest to northeast but have also been recorded travelling in any direction. The
forward speed of a tornado varies from 30 mph to 70 mph. What triggers a tornado is still not
altogether clear. Tornadoes spawn inside clouds when there is great turbulence and winds of
various speeds and velocities come in contact with one another. Although there is uncertainty
about the triggers, meteorologists are able to identify atmospheric conditions conducive to
tornadic activity. tornado florida - better overview
Action Items
- Implement a geographic information system(GIS) to more efficiently respond to natural
events through risk analysis, real-time events monitoring, and aligned optimized
response, better understand and plan for catastrophes and assign claim adjusters and
response teams where they will likely be needed most based on historic trends.
- As there is no specific reason for tornado’s activation(only hurricane and thunderstorm),
prior knowledge provided to customer can help him and the company reduce claims.
12.
13. Areas affected by Tornados
County Tornados
Average Magnitude
(Fujita Scale)
Average Loss
Palm Beach 167 0.38 2.04
Polk 160 0.45 3.03
Pinellas 134 0.58 3.41
Hillsborough 134 0.529 3.24
Miami-Dade 134 0.298 1.88
In Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach (26, 16 %) and Belle Glade (23, 14 %) in Palm Beach
County are the cities with highest tornado events and more specifically, Monroe Dr in West
Palm Beach and SW 1st St in Belle Glade are the streets with highest tornado events.
Correspondingly, Lakeland city (42, 26 %) in which E Park St street has the highest tornado
events in Polk County. St. Petersburg(39, 29 %) and Largo city (19, 14 %) in Pinellas County
have suffered the highest tornado hits in which 27th St S and 4th Ave NW in respective cities
have the highest count of tornados. Tampa(62, 46 %) in Hillsborough County has the highest
tornado count, in which W Virginia Ave in Tampa has the highest Tornado strikes. SW 4th Ave
in Miami city (57, 43 %) has faced maximum tornados in Miami-Dade County.
All the top 5 counties are in southern Florida and near the higher heat zone, plus the
hurricanes mostly hit the southern part of Florida and tornadoes are an aftereffect of
Hurricanes in these areas.
14. When considering total loss as a parameter for comparison, top counties suffering most
damage are -
Palm Beach County (167, 5%)
Polk County (160, 4.8%)
Hillsborough County (134, 4%)
Miami-Dade County (134, 4%)
Pinellas County (134, 4%)
West Palm Beach (26, 16 %) and Belle Glade (23, 13%) in Palm Beach County are the cities
with highest tornado loss and more specifically, Monroe Dr in West Palm Beach and SW 1st St
in Belle Glade are the streets with highest tornado loss. Lakeland city (42, 26%) in which E
Park St street has the highest tornado events in Polk County. St. Petersburg(39, 29 %) and
Largo city (19, 14 %) in Pinellas County have suffered the highest tornado hits in which 27th St
S and 4th Ave NW in respective cities have highest losses due to tornadoes.
Tampa(62, 46%) in Hillsborough County has the highest tornado count, in which W Virginia
Ave in Tampa has the highest count. SW 4th Ave in Miami city (57, 42 %)has faced maximum
tornados in Miami-Dade County.
1997, 1998, 2004, 1975 and 1995 are the years with maximum Tornado counts. Similarly, 1997,
1998, 1983, 1979 and 1975 are the years in which maximum tornado loss occurred and also
1998 has maximum injuries and fatalities with mean_loss_rating above 4.5 were assigned an
F4 rating but later reduced to F3.
But with time the count and loss due to Tornados and decreased as is evident from the Data.
Action Items (To reduce the Tornado damage)
Tornado damage occurs following high winds from blowing debris. While we can’t do a lot to
prepare for a tornado, it helps to trim tree branches back on the roof and windows. We can
also reinforce the roof to better handle high winds:
● Shake roof: Add more nails.
● Slate roof: Seal down with cement.
● Tile roof: Place a steel strap over the tiles.
● Asphalt roof: Nothing can be done, but inspect after.
Invest in a storm cellar, which is built underground and allows great defence against high
winds during a tornado. A storm shelter is built close to the home so it is easy to access during
a tornado and doesn't have to run far for safety. A storm cellar door is built at an angle so that
debris blows over the door. This allows for debris to roll over the door rather than trap it, so
one can get in and out easily. The confines of a storm cellar for a family is around 8 by 12 feet
with an arched roof. It’s made of cement blocks and rebar to ensure maximum defences.
15.
The combined maximum loss in Top 5 years.
Year Hail Tornado Wind Total
1998 17 379 1161 1557
2000 14 192 1203 1409
1999 37 181 1159 1377
1993 33 247 662 942
1995 24 289 625 938
Significant tornado events (evident from the data also)
1966, 04 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Tampa_tornado_family
1958, 04 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_Colfax,_Wisconsin,_tornado_outbreak
2004, 09 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ivan_tornado_outbreak
1997-1998: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Kissimmee_tornado_outbreak
“The tornadoes were strong due to an abnormally strong jet stream with warm, humid air out
ahead of the cold front. This is common in the El Niño phase of the El Niño-Southern
Oscillation (ENSO) during the Florida dry season (November 1 - April 30).[5]
During El Niño the
jet stream is typically stronger and further south near or over Florida in the winter and spring.
This greatly increases the odds that conditions will be favourable for strong tornado
development.” ~Wikipedia
The Phases of March to September are the months with most events occurring, Tornadoes
with higher damage capacity happen when there was an event of hurricane or thunderstorms
in the area.
16. Last 20 years in Florida
Wind Snapshot
Storm
Saffir-Simpson
Category
Date of
landfall
Year
Landfall
Intensity
(in knots)
Landfall Location
Charley 4 August 13 2004 130
Cayo Costa (1st landfall)/
Near Punta Gorda (2nd
landfall)
Ivan 3 September 16 2004 105 Near Gulf Shores, AL*
Jeanne 3 September 26 2004 105 Hutchinson Island
Dennis 3 July 10 2005 120 Santa Rosa Island
Wilma 3 October 24 2005 120 Cape Romano
Irma 4 September 10 2017 130
Cudjoe Key (1st landfall)/
Marco Island (2nd landfall)
~ source - Wikipedia
18. Tornado Snapshot
Date Fujita Killed Injuries Information
2/22/1998 3 25 150
The deadliest tornado of the outbreak was a category F3, that
touched down initially 1 mile south of Intercession City
2/22/1998 3 13 36
The tornado initially set down near Longwood and moved northeast
at 45 mph. The tornado passed through several neighbourhoods in
the southeast portion of Sanford, killing 12 people in mobile homes
and injuring 70
2/2/2007 3 13 51
The storm that produced the Lady Lake tornado re-intensified and
produced a second F3 tornado in a rural area to the west-southwest
of Paisley
2/2/2007 3 8 25
The ¼-mile-wide F3 tornado moved across the Lady Lake area,
killing 8 people and injuring 10. The tornado damaged 180
residences and destroyed 101. All of the fatalities occurred in mobile
homes
4/19/1988 3 4 18
A tornado moved from just southwest of Madison to 11 miles
east-northeast of Madison. Seventeen homes were destroyed and
more than 30 homes were damaged