A study of the relative contributions of surface winds and atmospheric pressure on sea-level rises in the Red Sea has shown that wind variations over the southern part of the sea are the main drivers of basin-wide sea-level extremes, uniformly driving sea levels up and down depending on wind direction.
A study of the relative contributions of surface winds and atmospheric pressure on sea-level rises in the Red Sea has shown that wind variations over the southern part of the sea are the main drivers of basin-wide sea-level extremes, uniformly driving sea levels up and down depending on wind direction.
Changes in sea levels often occur in response to meteorological forces such as wind and atmospheric pressure. These meteorological surges, or storm surges, lead to coastal flooding and erosion and are considered one of the greatest threats to coastal environments and communities.
Therefore, understanding storm surges and their driving forces is critical for coastal planning and management activities.
Numerous studies on storm surges have been done in some oceans and seas around the world, for example, in the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal and along the coast of the North Sea, yet few have been conducted on the Red Sea.
Read more at: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Modeling the driving forces of storm surges, such as wind speeds and atmospheric pressure, will help to manage developments along the Red Sea coastline. (Photo Credit: © 2022 KAUST; Morgan Bennett Smith.)
