Storm characterization and coastal hazards in the Yucatan Peninsula

A preliminary coastal hazard potential assessment due to storm impacts in terms of erosion and flooding for the Yucatan coast is presented. Firstly, a 30-year wave hindcast is employed in order to characterize the coastal storms by creating a 5-class storm scale in terms of wave information. Subsequently, the storm classification is converted to one based on the consequences over 26 beach profile sections located along the Yucatan coast. The storm consequences were classified according to their flood and erosion potential by means of parametric and numerical model results which are correlated with key beach characteristics such as beach width and maximum beach height. According to the obtained results, the storms were characterized in five different categories and it was found that the Yucatan coast presents higher threat to flood than to erosion during the impact of storms.