Historic Storms in the North Sea Area, an Assessment of the Storm Data, the Present Position of Research and the Prospects for Future Research

Abstract

A survey of historic storms, storm surges and sea floods in the North Sea area from about 1000 to the present day reveals that there is a rather complete and reliable time series of storm surges from the period of 1400 to 1700 for the Netherlands only. However, this time series does not include storms and high floods. Such a series has only become recently available for a small polder area near Antwerp from the period of 1488 to 1609. British, Danish and German time series of storm surges, storms and sea floods are very incomplete for the period earlier than the second quarter of the 18th century. Records from the Low Countries, owing to their special documentary sources starting as early as the 16th century in combination with additional data from Britain, Denmark and northern Germany, seem to offer the best opportunity of completing a useful time series of storms, storm surges and high floods for the period of AD 1500 to 2000.