Extreme sea levels are caused by a combination of physical processes operating on different time and space scales including tides, weather-driven storm surges and waves, seasonal and interannual variability in ocean water levels, and sea level rise.
The physical impacts include coastal inundation, erosion, and saltwater contamination of coastal land and water supplies. Societal impacts can include loss of life, damage to food and water supply and infrastructure, and disruption to coastal industries.
Coastal impacts – Understanding extreme sea levels and how they will change in the future is important for assessing the physical and societal impacts in the coastal zone. Information can assist governments and local councils in planning future developments and undertaking disaster risk management.
Our research covers a range of areas of extreme events including extreme sea levels, storm surges (including tropical cyclones) and wave impacts on the coast.
In this section:
- Causes of extreme sea levels
- Past extreme sea levels
- Future extreme sea levels
- Coastal extremes data
Source: CSIRO – Sea level change, waves, coastal extremes
