Worst coastal surge for 30 years?

[OhYouMerryLittleKitten]

So r4 reports the environment agency as saying for this afternoon right down the east coast to Essex. Just eating my breakfast so will dig out the relevant info in a little bit.

Oh, no, my DD is in Amsterdam, doing a year abroad. She told me about the warning last night, but I didn't take much notice as when we got that warning for high winds a few weeks ago I
spent ages battening down the hatches, then nothing at all happened round here.

But now I am worried. She was due to fly home for a visit in a few days.

I've not looked at how it works (dont have to look at this terribly often!) but I guess the water that causes the surge has to come from somewhere? Fascinating.

a little bit of info which doesnt help me understand the weather level dropping first in this case!

Nadia, I expect they are very prepared for it there.
If you want the link to their warnings it is here

only has the wind warnings though.

I thought it was when several things happened at once so high wind on top of a high tide which just happens to be a spring tide. Spring isn't related to spring the season in this case, spring tides happen on or just after a new moon, it was a new moon on Tuesday.

our next high tide is predicted for 0017.

just been up to walk the dog - cant access the seawall because EA have been along and closed the doors (gates? big solid metal fuckers anyway) - that's the good news.

the bad news is that some 2.5 hours after last high tide the sea is still about 30m higher than I would have expected.

off to make some preparations - if unneccessary at least I will have burnt off some calories!

The reason for the surge is quite easy to understand -you can imagine the wind pushing the sea along. As it gets to the the channel there is also a funneling effect. the low pressure also has an effect - allowing the sea level to rise, but its not as marked an effect.

Its the reason for the anti-surge we arent understanding!

Thanks kitten and thanks for the link.

I'm going to have to think about this as clearly Kent have higher levels than usual as evidenced by boschy! Maybe its wind direction?? or maybe theyve drained the estuary in anticipation?

could be something to do with the phase of the moon merry??

My sister lives 100 yards from the North Norfolk sea and she has evacuated. All her stuff has been put upstairs. The storm has just hit us (forty miles from Southwold) and I was nearly hit by an ivy laden branch that fell down outside Waitrose. It wasn't that blowy and i had to pop out for milk. Spent ten minutes clearing the path with a passing motorist who took as much away as he could to avoid it blowing everywhere. The sky is navy and there is a river of dry leaves charging down the road.

Stay inside all and good luck. I hope your caravan is okay MrsDeVere.

Sounds like boschy has my water!

Friends who saw the 1980s surge say you could actually see a hump of water sitting out in the Thames Estuary.

Have lots of friends in Sandwich and Deal. It looks very worrying. Hope everyone stays safe.

Oh is boschy in Kent? Margate tide is lower than prediction but not as marked as further into estuary.

But how can water sit in a hump? Wouldn't it level out? [failed science at school]

They are considering evacuating the Lincolnshire coast (N.B. haven't actually decided to do it yet, so don't panic) and have put out a call for registered Early Responders to make themselves available to help out.

Oh! It just occurred to me that the holiday cottage we have rented for Xmas is 2 streets back from Deal beach! They have been doing work on their flood defences though. I think the big issue is that the ground slopes down hill away from the seafront so if the sea comes over the wall, there is no way of stopping it. Just what everyone needs just before Xmas Hopefully everyone is heeding the warnings and preparing as much as possible.

Hamburg office of husband's (ie he works for) large company is closed.

Cumbria has had a few patches of power out and various costal bits flooded but so far just the usual ones as far as I can tell from the news.

DP owns a restaurant in Southend....it's in a basement, it was already flooded a few months ago when we had the torrential rain, I am a little nervous.

Oh & what I actually came on to ask was does anyone know if the cross channel ferries are running? Mum is on her way back from Germany.

Weknow P&O are saying "some sailings delayed by up to 90 minutes" (but that time is increasing they were saying "up to 45 minutes" two hours ago). I suspect it'll be similar for other operators.

It's freakily unnatural, isn't it, Nadia?

Combination of winds pushing water up, like a huge slow motion wave, and suction from the low pressure at the centre of a storm pulling it up (like a mild tornado).