Coupled wave and surge modelling and implications for coastal flooding

Abstract. The physical causes of coastal flooding due to marine storms are discussed. We examine the costs and impacts of storm surges and waves with reference to the UK. The mechanisms of interaction between waves and the mean circulation due to tides and wind are reviewed. A case study to illustrate the magnitude of surges, waves and their interactions is presented for Liverpool Bay in the eastern Irish Sea. Applications of surge and wave models to the Mediterranean, especially the Adriatic Sea, are considered.