Hurricane Irma Impact and Post-Storm Beach Morphology Evolution in Boca Raton, FL

Beach morphology changes naturally with seasonal and event-driven variability in the wave climate, as well as due to anthropogenic activities such as erosion mitigation efforts. In 2017, category four Hurricane Irma caused beach erosion and dune overwash in Boca Raton, FL. Immediate post-storm perigean spring tides coupled with typical winter high-wind conditions imposed a regime of spatially and temporally extended meteorologic and morphologic variability. This study evaluates the morphologic evolution and post-storm recovery in the first year following Hurricane Irma. Time-series topographic surveys and surface sediment samples were collected. Patterns of accretion and erosion were evaluated with regionally measured water and wind levels. Recovery morphology was generally through berm-building, but lacked shoreline stability. Storm impact regime, mitigation structures, and sediment transport patterns drove the recovery. Total volume lost above the 0 m contour due to the storm was not fully recovered within the year, with a large volume measured in the south.