Coasts

Coastal flood forecasting models are used to estimate conditions at or near locations which may be at risk from flooding, such as towns, ports and harbours, and coastal roads and railways. Forecasts may also be required at structures, such as tidal barriers, to assist with operations to reduce the risk of flooding. Models can range from simple empirical relationships to complex process-based models combining offshore, nearshore, wave overtopping and flood inundation components. Forecasts may be based primarily on coastal observations, or also make use of the surge, wind and wave forecasting outputs provided by national meteorological services and coastal observatories. This chapter describes some of the issues in selecting an appropriate modelling approach and then discusses a range of process based and data based techniques for coastal flood forecasting.