A global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels

Sanne Muis; Martin Verlaan; Hessel C. Winsemius; Jeroen C.J.H. Aerts; Philip J. Ward

doi:10.1038/ncomms11969

A global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels

Sanne Muis, Martin Verlaan, Hessel C. Winsemius, Jeroen C.J.H. Aerts, Philip J. Ward

Mathematical Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

387 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Extreme sea levels, caused by storm surges and high tides, can have devastating societal impacts. To effectively protect our coasts, global information on coastal flooding is needed. Here we present the first global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels (GTSR data set) based on hydrodynamic modelling. GTSR covers the entire world’s coastline and consists of time series of tides and surges, and estimates of extreme sea levels. Validation shows that there is good agreement between modelled and observed sea levels, and that the performance
of GTSR is similar to that of many regional hydrodynamic models. Due to the limited resolution of the meteorological forcing, extremes are slightly underestimated. This particularly affects tropical cyclones, which requires further research. We foresee applications in assessing flood risk and impacts of climate change. As a first application of GTSR, we estimate that 1.3% of the global population is exposed to a 1 in 100-year flood.

Original language	English
Article number	11969 (2016)
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Number of pages	12
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11969
Publication status	Published - 2016

Keywords

Atmospheric dynamics
Physical oceanography

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/ncomms11969

Cite this

@article{206847363c6040138cc6964a5cafe398,

title = "A global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels",

abstract = "Extreme sea levels, caused by storm surges and high tides, can have devastating societal impacts. To effectively protect our coasts, global information on coastal flooding is needed. Here we present the first global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels (GTSR data set) based on hydrodynamic modelling. GTSR covers the entire world{\textquoteright}s coastline and consists of time series of tides and surges, and estimates of extreme sea levels. Validation shows that there is good agreement between modelled and observed sea levels, and that the performanceof GTSR is similar to that of many regional hydrodynamic models. Due to the limited resolution of the meteorological forcing, extremes are slightly underestimated. This particularly affects tropical cyclones, which requires further research. We foresee applications in assessing flood risk and impacts of climate change. As a first application of GTSR, we estimate that 1.3% of the global population is exposed to a 1 in 100-year flood.",

keywords = "Atmospheric dynamics, Physical oceanography",

author = "Sanne Muis and Martin Verlaan and Winsemius, {Hessel C.} and Aerts, {Jeroen C.J.H.} and Ward, {Philip J.}",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms11969",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "1--12",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels

AU - Muis, Sanne

AU - Verlaan, Martin

AU - Winsemius, Hessel C.

AU - Aerts, Jeroen C.J.H.

AU - Ward, Philip J.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Extreme sea levels, caused by storm surges and high tides, can have devastating societal impacts. To effectively protect our coasts, global information on coastal flooding is needed. Here we present the first global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels (GTSR data set) based on hydrodynamic modelling. GTSR covers the entire world’s coastline and consists of time series of tides and surges, and estimates of extreme sea levels. Validation shows that there is good agreement between modelled and observed sea levels, and that the performanceof GTSR is similar to that of many regional hydrodynamic models. Due to the limited resolution of the meteorological forcing, extremes are slightly underestimated. This particularly affects tropical cyclones, which requires further research. We foresee applications in assessing flood risk and impacts of climate change. As a first application of GTSR, we estimate that 1.3% of the global population is exposed to a 1 in 100-year flood.

AB - Extreme sea levels, caused by storm surges and high tides, can have devastating societal impacts. To effectively protect our coasts, global information on coastal flooding is needed. Here we present the first global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels (GTSR data set) based on hydrodynamic modelling. GTSR covers the entire world’s coastline and consists of time series of tides and surges, and estimates of extreme sea levels. Validation shows that there is good agreement between modelled and observed sea levels, and that the performanceof GTSR is similar to that of many regional hydrodynamic models. Due to the limited resolution of the meteorological forcing, extremes are slightly underestimated. This particularly affects tropical cyclones, which requires further research. We foresee applications in assessing flood risk and impacts of climate change. As a first application of GTSR, we estimate that 1.3% of the global population is exposed to a 1 in 100-year flood.

KW - Atmospheric dynamics

KW - Physical oceanography

UR - http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:84736-3c60-4013-8cc6-964a5cafe398

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms11969

DO - 10.1038/ncomms11969

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 11969 (2016)

ER -

A global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this