Chapters authored
Floods Forecast in the Caribbean
Floods are one of the most costly natural disasters in the world and represent a common hazard in Puerto Rico. Some floods develop slowly, sometimes over a period of a day or more. But flash floods can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes. Puerto Rico, as well as other islands in the Caribbean, is subjected to flooding due to geographical location, topography, population distribution, and sudden rainfall events. The use of new technologies, such as apps and radars with higher spatial resolution that can cover areas missed by the NEXRAD radar, is important for flood forecasting efforts and for studying and predicting atmospheric phenomena. Recently, researchers in Puerto Rico initiated investigations using new technologies with high temporal and spatial resolution radars and systems that are able to monitor sudden floods in populated areas. These technologies will be used for hydrologic analyses and, specifically, for rainfall forecasting in Puerto Rico. A number of observational studies have shown that individual convective cells have mean lifetimes of about 20 min, with the best performance associated with a lead time of 10 min.
Part of the book: Flood Risk Management
Urban Heat Island Effects in Tropical Climate
This paper reviews some of the characteristics of urban climates and the causes and effects of urban heat island (UHI) issues in the tropical climate. UHI effect is a kind of heat accumulation phenomenon within the urban areas due to urban construction and human activities. It is recognized as the most evident characteristic of urban climate. The increase of land surface temperature in San Juan, Puerto Rico, caused by the UHI effect was influenced by the change of land use and material types in construction. The impacts of daily temperature, surface albedo, evapotranspiration (ET), and anthropogenic heating on the near-surface climate are discussed. Analyzed data and field measurements indicate that increasing albedo and vegetation cover can be effective in reducing the surface and air temperatures near the ground. Some mitigation and prevention measures are proposed for the effects of UHI, such as a flash flood warning system.
Part of the book: Vortex Dynamics Theories and Applications