A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Coastal Storms in Western Britain, 1800-2020

This multidisciplinary study combines environmental science and environmental history to improve storm understanding in Western Britain from 1800 to 2020. Storms have persistently impacted coastal communities, infrastructure and environments in this region and climate change is predicted to increase storm threats and impacts.

A sedimentological study analysed saltmarsh storm impacts in Carmarthen Bay. High magnitude storm surge deposition in 1954, 1977 and 1981 was identified through sedimentological, meteorological and tidal gauge analyses. The results show storm surges irregularly contributed to sustaining saltmarsh elevation suggesting the value of continued research into saltmarsh storm impacts.

An archival newspaper analysis produced a comprehensive original storm database from 1800 to 2020. Three environmental history investigations followed.

The first investigation analysed a major storm using the concept of storm subcultures. The 1859 Royal Charter Storm and the ensuing developments in storm prediction were analysed. Storm catastrophes were shown to evoke long-term social, political and cultural responses. The event changed storm understanding and prediction with long-term community and governance implications. The analysis highlighted the importance of inclusive decision making and adaptive storm subcultures.

The second study employed statistical and qualitative newspaper analyses of written storm representations from 1800 to 1953. Rapidly declining religious storm interpretations and progressively increasing scientific interpretations reflected changing beliefs in Britain. The analysis showed that epistemological change profoundly affected public storm representations and understandings.

A contemporary study analysed meteorological, tidal gauge and newspaper data from Storms Ciara and Dennis. While the storms were climate anomalies and the short-term response was effective, shortcomings in long-term climate change-related government policies likely enhanced vulnerability and therefore policy adaptation was recommended.

Multidisciplinary research ultimately improves the understanding of the often interconnected community and environmental storm impacts and can inform inclusive and effective response. Further multidisciplinary research can therefore contribute towards enhancing resilience to increasing storm threats.