Paleotempestology of the Caribbean region: a multi-proxy, multi-site study of the spatial and temporal variability of Caribbean hurricane activity (CRN2050)

The project uses proxy data—including coral, stalagmites, tree-rings, and coastal lagoon sediments—to analyze past Caribbean hurricane activity and its relationship with sea surface temperatures and climate patterns. Initial findings indicate that higher hurricane activity before AD 1550 and after 1750 correlates with warmer sea surfaces, with peaks occurring during the Medieval period (AD 900-1100) and since 1980. The study also highlights the role of the Intra-Americas Low-Level Jet (IALLJ) in affecting storm strength and notes significant population vulnerability along the U.S. coast.

• A coral-based proxy record of Atlantic sea surface temperatures spanning AD 1552-1991 indicates that warmer sea surfaces coincided with higher hurricane activity before 1550 and after 1750, while cooler surfaces were associated with fewer storms.
• Caribbean hurricane activity is influenced by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), with peaks in activity observed during the Medieval period (AD 900-1100) and from 1980 onwards, linked to La Niña-like conditions and warmer sea surface temperatures.
• The Intra-Americas Low-Level Jet (IALLJ) dominates air mass circulations in the Intra-Americas Sea and significantly impacts moisture advection and sea surface temperatures, which are critical for storm damage and hurricane strength.
• Based on 2006 demographic data, approximately 19 million people in the conterminous U.S. live in vulnerable areas less than 1 km from the coastline, and 12 million people live within a three-meter elevation along the coast.

APA

Liu, K.-B., Lam, N., Frappier, A., Mora, C., Donnelly, J., III, T. W., Cohen, A., Bentley, S., Peros, M., Desloges, J., Sanchez-Sesma, J., Amador, J., & Alfaro, E. (2010). Paleotempestology of the Caribbean region: a multi-proxy, multi-site study of the spatial and temporal variability of Caribbean hurricane activity (CRN2050). Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_50.pdf

Chicago

Liu, Kam-biu, Nina Lam, Amy Frappier, Claudia Mora, Jeff Donnelly, Tom Webb III, Anne Cohen, et al. Paleotempestology of the Caribbean region: a multi-proxy, multi-site study of the spatial and temporal variability of Caribbean hurricane activity (CRN2050). Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, 2010. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_50.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Liu |first1=Kam-biu |last2=Lam |first2=Nina |last3=Frappier |first3=Amy |last4=Mora |first4=Claudia |last5=Donnelly |first5=Jeff |last6=III |first6=Tom Webb |last7=Cohen |first7=Anne |last8=Bentley |first8=Sam |last9=Peros |first9=Matthew |display-authors=etal |title=Paleotempestology of the Caribbean region: a multi-proxy, multi-site study of the spatial and temporal variability of Caribbean hurricane activity (CRN2050) |publisher=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |date=April 2010 |url=https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_50.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{liu2010paleotempestology, author = {Liu, Kam-biu and Lam, Nina and Frappier, Amy and Mora, Claudia and Donnelly, Jeff and III, Tom Webb and Cohen, Anne and Bentley, Sam and Peros, Matthew and Desloges, Joe and Sanchez-Sesma, Jorge and Amador, Jorge and Alfaro, Eric}, title = {{Paleotempestology of the Caribbean region: a multi-proxy, multi-site study of the spatial and temporal variability of Caribbean hurricane activity (CRN2050)}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2010}, month = apr, url = {https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_50.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }