Toward improved operational surge and inundation forecasts and coastal warnings

Coastal regions are vulnerable to storm surge and flooding due to tropical and extratropical storms. It is necessary to build robust resiliency of the coastal communities to these hazards. The main objectives of operational surge and inundation forecast and coastal warning systems are to protect life and to sustain economic prosperity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States has initiated an integrated effort through pilot demonstration projects, and model-based ocean and coastal forecasting systems, to build improved operational warnings and forecasts capability for storm surge and inundation. This note describes the overall strategy and progress to date, with an emphasis on forecasting extratropical storm surge.