Articles | Volume 23, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1967-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1967-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
31 May 2023
Research article |
| 31 May 2023
| 31 May 2023
Compound flood events: analysing the joint occurrence of extreme river discharge events and storm surges in northern and central Europe
Philipp Heinrich
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Regional Land and Atmosphere Modeling, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Stefan Hagemann
Regional Land and Atmosphere Modeling, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Ralf Weisse
Coastal Climate and Regional Sea Level Changes, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Corinna Schrum
Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Institute of Oceanography, University of Hamburg, Bundesstraße 53, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
Ute Daewel
Matter Transport and Ecosystem Dynamics, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Lidia Gaslikova
Coastal Climate and Regional Sea Level Changes, Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
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Cited
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Storm surges and extreme sea levels: Review, establishment of model intercomparison and coordination of surge climate projection efforts (SurgeMIP). N. Bernier et al. 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100689
- Identification and trend analysis of compound meteorological hazards along Vietnam’s coastline T. Nguyen-Duy et al. 10.1007/s11069-024-06486-4
- A practical method for developing future joint probabilities of riverine and coastal flood risk in complex tidal river systems – a case study M. Maimone et al. 10.2166/wcc.2025.653
- Incorporating compound flood events in the weather service value chain J. Su et al. 10.1038/s44304-025-00077-4
- Changes in compound flood event frequency in northern and central Europe under climate change P. Heinrich et al. 10.3389/fclim.2023.1227613
- Assessing typhoon-induced compound flood drivers: a case study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam F. Rodrigues do Amaral et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-3379-2023
- A composite index framework for compound flood risk assessment J. Del-Rosal-Salido et al. 10.1038/s43247-025-02331-z
- Inundación compuesta en el estuario de Santoña: umbrales bivariados y su aplicación en alertas tempranas D. Gómez-Rave et al. 10.4995/ia.2025.23025
- Sea Level Rise in Europe: Impacts and consequences R. van de Wal et al. 10.5194/sp-3-slre1-5-2024
- Extreme Events Contributing to Tipping Elements and Tipping Points A. Romanou et al. 10.1007/s10712-024-09863-7
- Model-based assessment of climate change impact on inland flood risk at the German North Sea coast caused by compounding storm tide and precipitation events H. Bormann et al. 10.5194/nhess-24-2559-2024
- Zusammenwirken von Naturgefahren im Klimawandel ist für die Nordseeküste zunehmend eine Herausforderung R. Weisse et al. 10.1007/s35152-024-1854-y
- A Novel Input Schematization Method for Coastal Flooding Early Warning Systems Incorporating Climate Change Impacts A. Papadimitriou et al. 10.3390/cli12110178
- Recent advances and future challenges in urban pluvial flood modelling L. Cea et al. 10.1080/1573062X.2024.2446528
- Untangling the waves: decomposing extreme sea levels in a non-tidal basin, the Baltic Sea M. Lorenz et al. 10.5194/nhess-25-1439-2025
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Storm surges and extreme sea levels: Review, establishment of model intercomparison and coordination of surge climate projection efforts (SurgeMIP). N. Bernier et al. 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100689
- Identification and trend analysis of compound meteorological hazards along Vietnam’s coastline T. Nguyen-Duy et al. 10.1007/s11069-024-06486-4
- A practical method for developing future joint probabilities of riverine and coastal flood risk in complex tidal river systems – a case study M. Maimone et al. 10.2166/wcc.2025.653
- Incorporating compound flood events in the weather service value chain J. Su et al. 10.1038/s44304-025-00077-4
- Changes in compound flood event frequency in northern and central Europe under climate change P. Heinrich et al. 10.3389/fclim.2023.1227613
- Assessing typhoon-induced compound flood drivers: a case study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam F. Rodrigues do Amaral et al. 10.5194/nhess-23-3379-2023
- A composite index framework for compound flood risk assessment J. Del-Rosal-Salido et al. 10.1038/s43247-025-02331-z
- Inundación compuesta en el estuario de Santoña: umbrales bivariados y su aplicación en alertas tempranas D. Gómez-Rave et al. 10.4995/ia.2025.23025
- Sea Level Rise in Europe: Impacts and consequences R. van de Wal et al. 10.5194/sp-3-slre1-5-2024
- Extreme Events Contributing to Tipping Elements and Tipping Points A. Romanou et al. 10.1007/s10712-024-09863-7
- Model-based assessment of climate change impact on inland flood risk at the German North Sea coast caused by compounding storm tide and precipitation events H. Bormann et al. 10.5194/nhess-24-2559-2024
- Zusammenwirken von Naturgefahren im Klimawandel ist für die Nordseeküste zunehmend eine Herausforderung R. Weisse et al. 10.1007/s35152-024-1854-y
- A Novel Input Schematization Method for Coastal Flooding Early Warning Systems Incorporating Climate Change Impacts A. Papadimitriou et al. 10.3390/cli12110178
- Recent advances and future challenges in urban pluvial flood modelling L. Cea et al. 10.1080/1573062X.2024.2446528
- Untangling the waves: decomposing extreme sea levels in a non-tidal basin, the Baltic Sea M. Lorenz et al. 10.5194/nhess-25-1439-2025
Latest update: 07 May 2025
Short summary
High seawater levels co-occurring with high river discharges have the potential to cause destructive flooding. For the past decades, the number of such compound events was larger than expected by pure chance for most of the west-facing coasts in Europe. Additionally rivers with smaller catchments showed higher numbers. In most cases, such events were associated with a large-scale weather pattern characterized by westerly winds and strong rainfall.
High seawater levels co-occurring with high river discharges have the potential to cause...
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