Effects of Wave–Current Interaction on Storm Surge in the Pearl River Estuary: A Case Study of Super Typhoon Mangkhut

Abstract

This study explored the effects of interactions between waves and current on storm surge in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) using a fully coupled wave–current model. The model was validated based on in situ observations during the traverse of super typhoon Mangkhut. The results indicated that the model could reproduce the storm surge and wave setup processes. Numerical experiments showed that simulations of storm surge are minimally affected by wave setup. The wave setup during super typhoon Mangkhut reached up to 0.23 m and contributed to the total near shore storm surge by up to 8%. The simulations of the coupled model showed a better correlation with observations compared to those of an uncoupled model. The storm surge increased with transport upstream in a tidal-dominated outlet, whereas it decreased in a river-dominated outlet. The storm surge and wave setup increased and decreased, respectively, during spring tide as compared to that during a neap tide. The storm surge increased with increasing runoff in the upper river reaches, whereas there was little change in the tidal-dominated lower river reaches. This research emphasizes the importance of integrating the effects of multiple dynamic factors in the forecasting of storm surge and provides a reference for similar studies in other estuaries with multiple outlets and a complex river network.