UKCP09 projections - Extreme water level (cm) - Present day baseline – 50-year return extreme water level above the highest astronomical tide (due to storm surge)

UKCP09 is the name given to the UK Climate Projections. UKCP09 provides future climate projections for land and marine regions as well as observed (past) climate data for the UK.This layer is part of the Sea Level / Storm surges, Tides and Wave Height Change sub-set of the UKCP09 marine and coastal projections up to 2090s using a medium emission scenario and, where appropriate, medium probability. It displays the present day baseline of exceedance of the Highest Astronomical Tides by 50-year return period storm surge

Summarising the anticipated changes around Scotland based on central estimate projections for 2080-90 using the medium emission scenario, Storm surges / tides current estimates do not suggest storminess will increase significantly over Scotland making the predictions of increases in storm surge heights over the next 100 years small. For example extreme storm surges with return periods of 2, 10, 20 and 50 years are between about 1 and 3 cm by 2095. There is some regional variation.  Currently, the highest storm surge that may occur in a 50-year period raises the sea surface by between 90 and 180 cm. The effect is least on the east coast and in Shetland, and greatest on the west coast. The central estimate predicts that by 2095, these extreme water levels will have changed very little.