The methods used to protect mainland coastal populations from cyclone effects may not be appropriate or effective in island environments. If no inland infrastructure exists that offers refuge from cyclone effects, procedures used in mainland events (such as evacuation) are not viable options for the local populace. Moreover, cyclone effects that are of little or no concern to mainland residents may pose significant hazards in island environments. In contrast to mainland tropical cyclone hazard scenarios which have been extensively studied and where mature emergency management measures are in place, island hazard scenarios have received little attention.

Adequate data exist to quantitatively depict some of the various geophysical processes occurring during cyclone landfall in islands (e.g., spectral wave transformation, coastal surge) such that models of these processes have been developed. However, data depicting other processes (e.g., wave-induced ponding, wind-forced wave uprush) are inadequate or do not exist, consequently the physics of these processes are poorly understood and adequate models are not available. Data of adequate quantity and quality depicting the physics of these processes are required to develop these models.