THE WINTER STORMS OF

2013/14: OCEANOGRAPHY AND

COASTAL IMPACTS Gerd
Masselink, Plymouth University

Coastal Futures
2015

OUTLINE
Wave conditions during 2013-2014 winter
Pictorial overview of storm impacts in SW England
Regional overview of coastal response in SW
England
Coastal response on the North coast Perranporth
Coastal response on the South coast Slapton
Sands
Conclusions

WINTER STORMS OF 2013/14

Measured and modelled wave heights

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Jan14

Feb14

14 m

Hercules 06/01/14

Mar14

12 m

Petra 05/02/14

arison 2013/2014 winter with 60-year wave

8-week running mean wave height
4
3
2
1
0
1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

OTOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW OF IMPA

Southwest coast of England

North
coast
Hercules
W
South coast

wash gravel ridge at Westward Ho!, North D

uction of rock arch, Porthcothan, North Cor

Before Hercules

After Hercules

emoval of Whipsiderry beach, North Cornwa

Before Hercules

After Hercules

ruction of sea defence, Fistral Blu bar, New

Beach erosion, Perranporth, North Cornwall

End of summer 2013

After Hercules

val of Monkey House, Porthreath, North Cor

Before Hercules

After Hercules

Southwest coast of England

North
coast

Petra

SW

South coast

Coastal flooding, Porthleven, South Cornwal

Coastal flooding, Looe, South Cornwall

Beach lowering, Seaton, South Cornwall

Hot Wok Restaurant, Plymouth, South Devon

Dune erosion, Thurlstone, South Devon

Removal of beach in Torcross, South Devon

End
of summer
Before

During
Petra
During

Removal of beach in Torcross, South Devon

End
of summer
Before

After
Petra
During
After

Gravel on road, Slapton Sands,

SouthAfter
Devon
Before Hercules
Hercules

mage to SW railway line, Dawlish, South De

Cost: 1M per day to the SW economy

STAL IMPACTS REGIONAL OVERV

SW England and PCO beach monitoring site

North
coast
W

SW

South coast

ach monitoring (> 30 beaches, >200 profile

NORTH COAST
SOUTH COAST

Accretion

BRISTOL CHL

Erosi
on

ange in sediment volume profile line (m3/m)

m impacts along coast of SW England per p

Beaches geographically arranged from Somerset to Dorset

SW England and beach monitoring sites

Bristol
Channel

North
coast

St Ives
Chesil

SW

South coast

OASTAL IMPACTS NORTH COAS

Perranporth

Impact of Hercules on Perranporth

North
coast
W
South coast

Perranporth beach in summer

Perranporth response from LiDAR (Hercules

Wave
approach

Erosion (> 2m )
Accretion (> 2 m)

Where has the sand gone?

Offshore
accretion
Mega-rip
channel

Intertidal
erosion

Erosion (> 2m )
Accretion (> 2 m)
High tide
Low tide

Offshore sand model North coast

Before the winter

After the winter

dune
Dune scarp

Thin beach

Rocks exposed
Sand bar
below low tide

m response Bude and Westward Ho! from L

Wave
approach

Erosion (> 2m )
Accretion (> 2 m)

OASTAL IMPACTS SOUTH COAS

Slapton Sands

Impact of Petra on Slapton Sands

North
coast

SW

South coast

Gravel beaches of Start Bay, South

Devon

Slapton Sands Blackpool

Sands
Beesands
North Hallsands
South Hallsands

Slapton response from RTK-GPS (Petra)

P19

P11

P0

Wave
approach

before storms
after storms

Alongshore variation in storm response

Torcross

Sediment volume change (m3/m)

Wave
approach

Car park

Strete gate

Accretion

Erosion
Distance from Torcross (m)

Angle of breaking waves during Petra

on Slapton Sands

Longshore sand model South coast

Before the winter
rocky
headland

After the winter

new
beach
beach
widening

beach
narrowing

lagoon

lagoon

rm response Carlyon and Exmouth from LiD

Wave
approach

Erosion (> 2m )
Accretion (> 2 m)

CONCLUSIONS

Storm waves are related to Atlantic low pressure

systems the storm frequency, intensity and tracks
will be affected by climate change
The 2013/2014 winter was the stormiest winter
since 1950
1% exceedence Hs was exceeded by 20 storm
events
10 storms with peak Hs > 8 m
2 storm with peak Hs > 10 m
Storm impacts show a large geographical
variability
North coast = offshore sediment transport and
beach erosion
South coast = longshore sediment transport
and beach rotation
Coastal response is strongly related to the storm-

LONG-TERM CONTEXT

ves and beach volume Perranporth since 20

2013/2014
winter

es and beach volume Slapton Sands since 2

2013/2014
winter

P18

P5

P5 south end

P18 north end