Coastal storm surge height
| Object type | Damage Signal |
|---|---|
| SIGNAL Earth ID | DS-00721 |
| Observable type | Coastal storm surge height |
| Unit | unitless / index or declared physical unit (Provisional unit carried from Step 2 DS-to-OT cleanup review; requires later OT curation if source-specific units diverge.) |
| Temporal structure | — |
| Monitoring backbone | — |
is a critical environmental phenomenon describing the elevation of coastal water levels above the normal baseline sea level, driven primarily by storm events such as hurricanes and cyclones. This elevation results from the combined effects of wind, atmospheric pressure changes, and wave action, which can lead to significant flooding and inundation risks along coastlines. Understanding and quantifying storm surge heights is essential for coastal hazard assessment, emergency planning, and infrastructure resilience.
Storm surges are a natural hazard component closely linked to extreme weather systems and sea level variations. They represent a transient but often severe increase in water level that can exacerbate coastal flooding beyond what is caused by tides alone. The measurement and monitoring of coastal storm surge height contribute to improved forecasting and risk management in coastal zones worldwide.
Within the context of global environmental monitoring, coastal storm surge height serves as a canonical base-state coastal hazard indicator, providing a standardized measure relevant to inundation risk and coastal vulnerability. This signal integrates physical oceanographic processes with meteorological drivers to inform hazard models and impact assessments.
Geographic / System Context
Coastal storm surge height is a phenomenon observed along the world's coastlines, where ocean and atmospheric interactions produce elevated water levels during storm events. Although it is not limited to a specific geographic region, its impacts are most pronounced in low-lying coastal areas, estuaries, and bays susceptible to storm-driven water level increases. The geographic scope of this signal is global, encompassing diverse coastal environments influenced by tropical cyclones, extratropical storms, and other severe weather systems. Variability in surge height depends on local bathymetry, coastal geomorphology, and the intensity and track of storms.
Monitoring and Measurement
Monitoring coastal storm surge height involves a combination of observational and modeling approaches. Tide gauges and coastal water level stations operated by agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide direct measurements of water level changes relative to established baselines. Remote sensing and satellite altimetry complement in situ observations by offering broader spatial coverage. Numerical models simulate storm surge dynamics by integrating meteorological data, oceanographic conditions, and coastal topography to forecast surge heights and potential inundation extents. Institutions like the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) contribute to data collection, modeling, and dissemination of storm surge information. Additionally, global databases such as the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program's SURGEDAT compile historical surge data to support research and risk assessment.
Within the SIGNAL system, this phenomenon is treated as a defined environmental signal whose boundaries and measurement conventions are described below.
Signal Definition
Coastal storm surge height is defined as the elevation of coastal water levels induced by storm events above the baseline sea level, representing the transient increase in water height relevant to coastal inundation risk. This measurement captures the maximum or peak surge height during storm conditions, excluding regular tidal fluctuations and long-term sea level rise components.
Boundary Conditions
Boundary inclusions encompass all storm-driven water level elevations occurring at coastal locations relative to the local baseline sea level, including contributions from wind setup, atmospheric pressure effects, and wave-induced water level changes during storm events. Boundary exclusions involve water level variations caused solely by astronomical tides, seasonal sea level variability, non-storm-related oceanographic processes, and permanent changes in mean sea level unrelated to transient storm activity. The signal excludes inland flooding not directly attributable to coastal storm surge and does not incorporate surge effects beyond the immediate coastal zone.
Aggregation Semantics
Geographic aggregation of coastal storm surge height data involves compiling measurements across coastal segments and regions to assess spatial patterns of surge impact. Temporal aggregation may include averaging or summarizing surge heights over storm events, seasons, or years to identify trends or extremes. Cross-signal aggregation relates coastal storm surge height to associated environmental signals such as coastal erosion extent, flood inundation extent, and extreme wind intensity to provide integrated hazard assessments. Aggregation practices must consider the variability in surge characteristics across different coastal settings and time scales to maintain meaningful interpretations.
Observational Status
Monitoring of coastal storm surge height is ongoing with established observational networks and modeling frameworks maintained by agencies including NOAA and the National Hurricane Center. Data availability varies by region, with higher resolution and frequency in areas prone to tropical cyclones. Future SIGNAL releases may enhance temporal resolution, integrate additional observational platforms, and refine aggregation methods to improve the characterization of surge height extremes and their relationship to climate variability and change. Continued development of global hindcast datasets and coupled wave-surge models supports advancing the understanding of storm surge dynamics.
Related Signals
- Coastal erosion extent
- Coastal flood inundation extent
- Coastal salinity intrusion extent
- Extreme wind intensity
- Global mean sea level
- Return period contraction of coastal storm surge height extremes (declared percentile threshold regime)
Key People
- National Hurricane Center (NHC)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP)
- Lorenzo Mentaschi
Key Associated People
- Lorenzo Mentaschi — University of Milan [Researcher; High]
- Mahmoud Ayyad — University of New York [Researcher; High]
Inclusion reflects material contribution to the scientific understanding of this damage signal; it does not imply review, endorsement, or affiliation with SIGNAL Earth.
Sources
- A global unstructured, coupled, high-resolution hindcast of waves and storm surge — arXiv preprint, 2023. DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2306.16337. [Paper; Supporting; High]
- Machine learning-based assessment of storm surge in the New York metropolitan area — Scientific Reports, 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23627-6. [Paper; Supporting; High]