Category: High Waves
The characteristics of High Waves, what contributes to their formation, the difference between Maximum Wave Height and Significant Wave Height and the impact of High Waves on the coast.
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Henry David Thoreau, I to Myself, August 1851 The coastline of Norfolk and Suffolk is bearing the scars of the winter storms of 2024-2025, and this discussion will consider a few examples of the attrition of heavy rain and wave action. Including large slippages of cliff material at Overstrand in Norfolk, with a recent announcement…
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Pakefield Beach is a fascinating example of erosion and deposition of sediment. With a dramatic contrast between substantial accretion (build-up) of sand at Benacre Ness, with the assessment that this feature seems to be building up to the north, whilst eroding at its Southern end. The build-up of Benacre Ness could help protect Pakefield, but…
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As storms continue to batter the East Anglian coast, this discussion will consider marks left by storms Babet & Ciaran on two beaches in Suffolk and ask how useful it is to examine erosion through the lens of the Palimpsest. The term refers to how a surface or feature, when something new is added, continues…
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Recent visits to Thorpeness have revealed new erosion features, possibly exacerbated by extreme high waves observed in early July 2023. However, rather than focus on features on the cliffs and beach, this discussion will consider the nearshore processes likely to influence the shape of a beach. A local feature known as the Sizewell-Dunwich Sandbank system…
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Shadowlands. Matthew Green The penultimate discussion in the series to consider whether large events or small gradual processes contribute the most to coastal erosion, will look at the beach and cliffs of Thorpeness. This area has been subject to gradual long-term erosion, but it is also a dynamic high-energy location where several metres of cliff…
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In a brief continuation of the previous discussion about high waves and the effect on the coastline, photos below show the current state of the cliffs at Thorpeness, as they were on 14th April 2022. Multiple slippages can be seen from the cliff frontage, with the surface slumping and collapsing down to the beach at…
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“The winds of a thousand miles buffeted and blew, wind over tide, wave over beach, the whole force of accumulated energy finally crashing up against our cliff” Easternmost House, Juliet Blaxland. This post uses a combination of mediums to discuss a period of high waves at the chosen locations of Lowestoft and Felixstowe on 31st…
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As high winter waves on the Suffolk coast continue to be recorded at Lowestoft, with Storm Barra, on the 7th December, seeing a maximum wave height (MWH) of 6 metres with a significant wave height (SWH) of 3.37 metres. This discussion will consider the definition that a SWH of 3.11 metres or above, with a…
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As the coast enters the winter storm season, it is useful to analyse wave patterns on the Suffolk coast and consider recent incidences of considerable wave height. The location of the wave measurements is Lowestoft, where wave data is monitored using a Datawell Directional WaveRider Mk III buoy. The buoy is owned by the Environment…
alteredcoast 