Regional storm climate and related marine hazards in the Northeast Atlantic

• Main Authors: Storch, H.v., Weisse, R.
• Format: Book Part
• Language: unknown
• Published: Diaz, H.F.; Murnane, R.J. 2008
• Subjects: info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/551; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: https://publications.hereon.de/id/26750; https://publications.hzg.de/id/26750

Storms represent a major environmental threat. They are associated with abundant rainfall and excessive wind force. Wind storms cause different types of damages on land and on sea. On land, infrastructure, houses and other constructions may be damaged. In forests, trees may break in larger numbers. At sea, wind pushes water masses towards the coasts, where the water levels may become dangerously high, overwhelm coastal defense and inundate lowlying coastal areas. Also the sea surface is affected – wind waves are created which eventually transform into swell. Obviously, wind waves represent a major threat for shipping, offshore activities and coastal defense.