Reconstruction of wind and surge of the 1906 storm tide at the German North Sea coast

Abstract. Storm tides represent a major threat to the low-lying German North Sea coast. Knowledge of extremes is essential for design reliable and robust coastal defences. A storm tide that occurred on 12–13 March 1906 along Bight coastline still represents one strongest events record. For this event, detailed knowledge atmospheric hydrodynamic conditions lacking. To assess potential impact such an event today's coastline, century-long reanalysis data together with manual synoptic reconstruction based archived weather were used drive tide-surge model simulate water levels during event. Sensitivity experiments performed estimate amplification could have been caused by different time lags between astronomical tide. Comparison results limited available observational indicated be reasonably reconstructed using wind fields from approach some ensemble members. The was found low because spring shifts in phase astronomic yielded only small changes total levels. summarise, if pressure are at relevant locations, historical surges can simulated products also reconstruction.