A storm surge is an abnormal, transient rise in coastal water level driven primarily by storm-induced atmospheric pressure deficits and wind stress on the ocean surface, superimposed on the astronomical tide. It is characterized by the setup of water against the coastline and over continental shelves, with magnitude controlled by storm intensity, size, translation speed, track, coastal geometry, bathymetry, and background sea level. In research, storm surge is quantified using hydrodynamic models solving shallow-water or primitive equations, coupled with wave and tide models, to estimate surge height, inundation extent, and associated hydrodynamic forces for risk assessment and coastal engineering design.
Storm-driven sea floods are becoming more frequent as the climate warms, increasingly destroying the nests of threatened wader birds along the Baltic Sea coast. Waders are currently beginning their breeding season.
Ecology
4 hours ago
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Living by the sea in the tropics means being exposed to some of nature's most powerful forces. Hurricanes can bring storm surges, flooding and destructive waves that threaten homes, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Plants & Animals
May 12, 2026
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A Tulane University-led team of interdisciplinary researchers says coastal Louisiana's climate-driven land loss and population shifts could position the state to become a global leader in planning for climate adaptation.
Environment
May 4, 2026
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The Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has partnered with The Nature Conservancy to develop a new tool for funding wetland conservation and restoration projects through ...
Environment
Apr 27, 2026
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Florida's Indian River Lagoon has been an ecosystem in decline going back to 2011, when harmful algal blooms led to a severe decline in seagrass, the foundational component of shallow coastal ecosystems.
Ecology
Apr 21, 2026
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Powerful cyclones can push seawater miles inland, threatening densely populated communities and critical infrastructure built along coastal areas. A combination of exposure and complexity makes the Bay of Bengal in Southeast ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle continues to amaze us with its long journey across northern Australia. This cyclone began life near the Solomon Islands on March 16, when moist air rose rapidly and created a low-pressure zone.
Earth Sciences
Mar 27, 2026
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Tropical Cyclone Narelle is currently a very dangerous Category 5 storm, sitting off the Far North Queensland Coast some 350 kilometers northeast of Cooktown. Formed in the Coral Sea, Narelle is packing a punch, with sustained ...
Environment
Mar 19, 2026
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The future of one of Antarctica's most iconic glaciers could be far more dramatic than scientists previously thought. Using satellite calibrated ice sheet models, a team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh found ...
A prolonged drought in southeastern Connecticut reduced the stability of microorganisms responsible for a critical step in the nitrogen cycle in a coastal salt marsh, according to research led by a Connecticut College scientist ...
Ecology
Mar 3, 2026
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