Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are highly exposed to hydro-meteorological hazards, particularly to marine submersion. These volcanic islands, surrounded by deep waters and located along cyclonic tracks, are subject to extreme conditions, including severe storm surges, as illustrated during the intense 2017 hurricane season. Hurricane Irma generated a surge of nearly 3 m in Saint-Martin, followed shortly after by Hurricane Maria, which caused widespread damage across several islands. Within the framework of the Climate Change and Consequences in the Caribbean program (C3AF), sensors were deployed in the Sainte-Anne region of Guadeloupe durin hurricane Maria to monitor wave conditions (forereef and lagoon) and to record cyclone-induced flooding using an emerged sensor on Bourg Beach. These observations provide key insights into the hydrodynamic processes driving submersion and allow for quantification of their relative contributions. A numerical modeling approach, calibrated and validated against the field data, was implemented to investigate the respective roles of atmospheric storm surge and wave forcing. At the island scale, a large-domain configuration was established, while at finer scales, a phase-resolving wave model (SWASH) was applied. The latter highlights the significant contribution of infragravity waves to coastal flooding through wave runup processes.