Triple Jeopardy Flood Event Hits U.S. East Coast
A rare 'triple jeopardy' flood event occurred along the U.S. East Coast on January 16–17, 2022, combining three distinct hazards: a storm surge from an extratropical cyclone, a meteotsunami caused by mesoscale atmospheric disturbances, and a tsunami triggered by the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption. The extratropical cyclone, described as a 'bomb cyclone,' brought rapid pressure changes of 36 hPa in 24 hours, while the meteotsunami resulted from atmospheric gravity waves moving at 18 m/s. The Hunga Tonga eruption, over 13,000 km away, generated atmospheric pressure waves that circled the globe, creating tsunami waves along the Atlantic Coast. These combined events led to hazardous water levels of 1–1.5 meters, peaking near Atlantic City, New Jersey.
