Data

Latest SurgeWatch Database (Version 3; 2020)

The information on this web-site contains the third version of the SurgeWatch dataset, which we released in 2020 and are still in the process of updating and improving. You can download a copy of this latest version of the database by clicking here. Building on the two previous versions  (see below), we extended the database back in time over the last 2,000 years. We have now captured information on 941 coastal flood events. We are currently writing a journal article that describes this version. Please contact Ivan Haigh (I.D.Haigh@soton.ac.uk) if you would like any more details.

Historic SurgeWatch Database Versions

SurgeWatch Version 2; 2017

The second version of the SurgeWatch dataset, which we released in 2017, can be downloaded from the British Oceanography Data Centre, click here. Building on the initial version 1  of the database (see below) , in version 2 we integrating a variety of ‘soft’ data such as journal papers, newspapers, weather reports, and social media. This version of the database contains information on 329 coastal flooding events from 1915 to 2016. A detailed description of this version of the database is available in the following article: Haigh, I.D., Ozsoy, O., Wadey, M.P., Nicholls, R.J., Gallop, S.L., Wahl, T., Brown, J.M., 2017. An improved database of coastal flooding in the United Kingdom from 1915 to 2016. In press Scientific Data 4, Article number: 170100.

SurgeWatch Version 1; 2015

The first version of the SurgeWatch dataset, which we originally released in 2015, can be downloaded from the British Oceanography Data Centre, click here. In Version 1, we used tide gauge records around the coast of the UK to identify high sea level events. Then we used the dates of the 96 events as a chronological base from which to investigate whether historical documentation exists for a concurrent coastal flood. This version of the database covered the last 100 years (1915-2014), and contained 96 storm event. A detailed description of this version of the database is available in the following article: Haigh, I.D., Wadey, M.P., Gallo, S.L, Loehr, H., Nicholls, R.J., Horsburgh, K., Brown, J.M, and Bradshaw, E., 2015. A user-friendly database of coastal flooding in the United Kingdom 1915-2014. Scientific Data 2, Article number: 150021.

Complementary datasets

Andy Stevens produced a long term dataset of reported flooding in the UK based on reports from the UK Met Office and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The dataset can be obtained by clicking here Stevens2016_UK_Flooding_Dataset_Public_Version_V2 (Please see the data for Met Office and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology copyrights). A more detailed description of the dataset is available in the following article: Stevens, A. J., Clarke, D., & Nicholls, R. J. (2016). Trends in reported flooding in the UK: 1884–2013. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 61(1), 50–63.