Storm Surge Big Data

Western Carolina University has developed a Web site and a smartphone app that makes it easier to predict coastal storm-surges.  Researchers gathered storm-surge data going back 65 years at more than 3,400 sites along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.  The model is available at http://stormsurge.wcu.edu/.  Users can enter a zip code and view a map that shows all high-water measurements made in that area.  The site also illustrates the paths of the hurricane that caused those floods, along with other aspects that most likely influenced storm-surge height, including wind speed and barometric pressure.

Information technology requires information, and the most important information is about the state of the world.  Combine the "big data" movement of historical events with the era of infrastructure that actually starts to "think" and you end up with exponential improvements in system recovery during and after natural disasters.  Very important for engineers to consider in the context of climate change and the probability of much greater extreme weather events.