Marine storms and coastal risk risk along the Gulf of Biscay area: Winter 2014

Abstract

Coastal storms are one of the most remarkable natural risk affecting coastal areas, and climate change might enhanced the intensity and frequency of those extreme events. The Gulf of Biscay area show evidences of historical episodes of storminess which remarkable consequences upon natural environment and human activities. The use of coastal spaces has increased during the last decades worldwide, and the Northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula has followed the same trend, increasing the amount of elements at risk. An outstanding episode of coastal storminess was suffered by the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula experienced during the January-February period of 2014. Impacts on the coastal environment were spread. A comprehensive analysis of oceanographic and meteorological data has been carried out to characterize the event and to place it in relation with the recent climate evolution of the Gulf of Biscay area.