Author(s): S. Westra
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Storm surge; Extreme rainfall; Joint dependence; Coastal flooding; Bivariate extreme value theory
Abstract: In the coastal zone, flooding often can be caused by two physically distinct mechanisms: ocean-derived storm tides (being the combination of storm surge and astronomical tide), and inland rainfall-derived catchment discharge. Although astronomical tides vary independently from rainfall, storm surge is governed by pressure and wind anomalies and thus can be triggered by similar meteorological conditions to those which cause intense rainfall events. The degree of interaction between rainfall and storm surge is therefore an important design parameter, with assumptions of independence or complete dependence likely to lead to under-or over-estimation, respectively, of flood quantiles in the joint probability zone.
Year: 2011