On the rapid estimation of wind-stress induced storm surge during tropical cyclones

Wind-stress forcing components in differential equations appropriate for tropical or extratropical storm surge problems, on the open coast and in enclosed and semi-enclosed basins, as used by the Coastal Engineering Research Center, are parameterised as a function of the significant wave height or the sea-level pressure near a tropical cyclone’s landfall. Verifications of this proposed approach are successful. It is demonstrated that the extreme storm surge measurements during Hurricane Katrina are indispensable in this validation process. In addition to the five hurricane cases presented, the storm surge datasets are also incorporated from the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Nargis, which was an extremely destructive and deadly tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Myanmar during early May 2008.