Given the active to extremely active prediction, many people along the Gulf Coast may be concerned about the interaction between a hurricane in the Gulf and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. What happens to the oil when a hurricane moves through the affected area? Movement of the oil depends on the hurricane’s track but in general the storm will stir up the Gulf and help dilute the oil by dispersing it over a wider area and into a larger volume of water.

Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 each year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center is expecting an “active to extremely active” 2010 season in the Atlantic Basin, which includes the Gulf of Mexico. If you live on or near the coast, the start of hurricane season is a good time to review your hurricane preparedness plans. Are you ready?

Given the active to extremely active prediction, many people along the Gulf Coast may be concerned about the interaction between a hurricane in the Gulf and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. What happens to the oil when a hurricane moves through the affected area? Movement of the oil depends on the hurricane’s track but in general the storm will stir up the Gulf and help dilute the oil by dispersing it over a wider area and into a larger volume of water. However, if there is a slick close to the coast, then the storm surge associated with the hurricane can push it further inland than normal. This will distribute oil over a wider area than just the immediate coastal strip. During Hurricane Rita in 2005, water from the Gulf was pushed over 20 miles inland because of the surge.

Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Venice, LA

In the past, oil spills have been the result of damage from hurricanes. For example, dozens of significant spills and hundreds of smaller spills were caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Spilled oil was widely dispersed. Because of the high winds and storm surge, oil spill related damage was felt in highly populated areas as well as in coastal marshes.

Resources you may find useful include

NOAA’s Hurricanes and the Oil Spill fact sheet

Hurricanes and Oil Spills: Both Good and Bad News article from Texas A&M University

Oceanography case study Hurricane Katrina and Oil Spills: Impact on Coastal and Ocean Environments

Weather Underground WunderBlog

2006 Report to Congress: Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund: Hurricane Impact

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