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Extreme oceanographic forcing and coastal response due to the 2015–2016 El Niño

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick L. Barnard

    (United States Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center)

  • Daniel Hoover

    (United States Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center)

  • David M. Hubbard

    (University of California, Santa Barbara, Marine Science Institute)

  • Alex Snyder

    (United States Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center)

  • Bonnie C. Ludka

    (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego)

  • Jonathan Allan

    (Coastal Field Office)

  • George M. Kaminsky

    (Coastal Monitoring & Analysis Program)

  • Peter Ruggiero

    (Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences)

  • Timu W. Gallien

    (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
    University of California, Los Angeles, Civil and Environmental Engineering)

  • Laura Gabel

    (Coastal Field Office)

  • Diana McCandless

    (Coastal Monitoring & Analysis Program)

  • Heather M. Weiner

    (Coastal Monitoring & Analysis Program)

  • Nicholas Cohn

    (Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences)

  • Dylan L. Anderson

    (Oregon State University, College of Engineering)

  • Katherine A. Serafin

    (Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences)

Abstract

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is the dominant mode of interannual climate variability across the Pacific Ocean basin, with influence on the global climate. The two end members of the cycle, El Niño and La Niña, force anomalous oceanographic conditions and coastal response along the Pacific margin, exposing many heavily populated regions to increased coastal flooding and erosion hazards. However, a quantitative record of coastal impacts is spatially limited and temporally restricted to only the most recent events. Here we report on the oceanographic forcing and coastal response of the 2015–2016 El Niño, one of the strongest of the last 145 years. We show that winter wave energy equalled or exceeded measured historical maxima across the US West Coast, corresponding to anomalously large beach erosion across the region. Shorelines in many areas retreated beyond previously measured landward extremes, particularly along the sediment-starved California coast.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick L. Barnard & Daniel Hoover & David M. Hubbard & Alex Snyder & Bonnie C. Ludka & Jonathan Allan & George M. Kaminsky & Peter Ruggiero & Timu W. Gallien & Laura Gabel & Diana McCandless & Heathe, 2017. "Extreme oceanographic forcing and coastal response due to the 2015–2016 El Niño," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14365
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14365
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    Cited by:

    1. Rafael Almar & Julien Boucharel & Marcan Graffin & Gregoire Ondoa Abessolo & Gregoire Thoumyre & Fabrice Papa & Roshanka Ranasinghe & Jennifer Montano & Erwin W. J. Bergsma & Mohamed Wassim Baba & Fei, 2023. "Influence of El Niño on the variability of global shoreline position," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.

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