A MULTI-SCALE COASTAL STORM HAZARDS EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR AUSTRALIA

Abstract

Coastal storms pose a threat to livelihoods and assets along Australia’s coastlines. By delivering timely information about approaching coastal storms, early warning systems (EWSs) can enhance community preparedness and inform risk-reduction measures, with the goal of reducing potential impacts to property, critical infrastructure, and loss of life. Worldwide, existing coastal hazard EWSs primarily center around the forecasting of coastal flooding risks, which predominantly occur along surge-dominated coastlines. However, many of Australia’s densely populated coastlines are wavedominated, where erosion hazards feature more prominently. This pilot project has developed a multiscale, coastal hazard EWS capability for Australia that uses state-of-the-art scientific methods for predicting both erosion and flooding impacts caused by coastal storms.