Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3555
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3555
19 Sep 2025
 | 19 Sep 2025

Meteotsunami prediction in km-scale regional systems coupled at high frequency

Nefeli Makrygianni, Ségolène Berthou, David L. A. Flack, Cindy Lebeaupin Brossier, Jonathan Beuvier, Juan Manuel Castillo, Emiliano Renzi, Clare O’Neill, Daniel Peláez-Zapata, Frederic Dias, Huw Lewis, and Diego Bruciaferri

Abstract. Meteorological tsunamis, or meteotsunamis, are anomalous waves triggered by atmospheric disturbances such as thunderstorms, gravity waves, squalls, or cyclones. While meteotsunamis have been studied extensively in regions like the Mediterranean and the United States, research in the Northwest European shelf remains limited, as meteotsunamis were considered rare and low-risk until recently. New evidence suggests they are often undetected due to insufficient tide gauge resolution. Reports indicate that meteotsunamis pose risks to infrastructure and have caused fatalities in the United Kingdom.

This study evaluates the capability of the Met Office's atmosphere-ocean-wave regional coupled model (UKC4) and Météo-France’s atmosphere-ocean regional coupled model (AROBASE) to capture and predict meteotsunamis. Configured at km-scale and with 10-minute coupling frequency, the models were tested on the strongest meteotsunami event (up to 1 m) recorded so far in Ireland, which occurred in June 2022. The whole event lasted for hours and significantly impacted Ireland, the UK and France. This case has been widely studied but the exact atmospheric drivers of such a widespread event remain unknown. The two models are able to represent the meteotsunami: the Met Office model is more successful in the Celtic Sea around the UK, Ireland and the English Channel and the Météo-France model captures a weak signal in the Bay of Biscay and English Channel. Analysis of the atmospheric situation suggests two slow-moving low-pressure systems, with colliding cold and dry Arctic air and extremely warm and dry continental air. This generates a shallow stable layer near the surface, which gets disrupted by convective downdrafts, generating gravity waves which propagate in the stable layer at the same speed as ocean disturbance, leading to Proudman resonance and to meteotsunamis in three different countries. Finally, for the first time for this region, we show that a km-scale regional coupled ensemble can successfully forecast this meteotsunami event.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

09 Jul 2026
Representation of meteotsunamis in km-scale regional simulations coupled at high frequency
Nefeli Makrygianni, Ségolène Berthou, David L. A. Flack, Cindy Lebeaupin Brossier, Jonathan Beuvier, Juan Manuel Castillo, Emiliano Renzi, Clare O'Neill, Daniel Peláez-Zapata, Frederic Dias, Huw Lewis, and Diego Bruciaferri
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 3185–3211, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3185-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3185-2026, 2026
Short summary
Nefeli Makrygianni, Ségolène Berthou, David L. A. Flack, Cindy Lebeaupin Brossier, Jonathan Beuvier, Juan Manuel Castillo, Emiliano Renzi, Clare O’Neill, Daniel Peláez-Zapata, Frederic Dias, Huw Lewis, and Diego Bruciaferri

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-3555', Anonymous Referee #1, 09 Oct 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Nefeli Makrygianni, 06 May 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-3555', Anonymous Referee #2, 20 Feb 2026
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Nefeli Makrygianni, 06 May 2026

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-3555', Anonymous Referee #1, 09 Oct 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Nefeli Makrygianni, 06 May 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-3555', Anonymous Referee #2, 20 Feb 2026
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Nefeli Makrygianni, 06 May 2026

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (21 May 2026) by Rachid Omira
AR by Nefeli Makrygianni on behalf of the Authors (22 May 2026)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (22 May 2026) by Rachid Omira
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (08 Jun 2026)
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (26 Jun 2026) by Rachid Omira
AR by Nefeli Makrygianni on behalf of the Authors (02 Jul 2026)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

09 Jul 2026
Representation of meteotsunamis in km-scale regional simulations coupled at high frequency
Nefeli Makrygianni, Ségolène Berthou, David L. A. Flack, Cindy Lebeaupin Brossier, Jonathan Beuvier, Juan Manuel Castillo, Emiliano Renzi, Clare O'Neill, Daniel Peláez-Zapata, Frederic Dias, Huw Lewis, and Diego Bruciaferri
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 3185–3211, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3185-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3185-2026, 2026
Short summary
Nefeli Makrygianni, Ségolène Berthou, David L. A. Flack, Cindy Lebeaupin Brossier, Jonathan Beuvier, Juan Manuel Castillo, Emiliano Renzi, Clare O’Neill, Daniel Peláez-Zapata, Frederic Dias, Huw Lewis, and Diego Bruciaferri

Data sets

Scripts and Data for Meteotsunami prediction in km-scale regional systems coupled at high frequency Nefeli Makrygianni https://zenodo.org/records/16370112

Nefeli Makrygianni, Ségolène Berthou, David L. A. Flack, Cindy Lebeaupin Brossier, Jonathan Beuvier, Juan Manuel Castillo, Emiliano Renzi, Clare O’Neill, Daniel Peláez-Zapata, Frederic Dias, Huw Lewis, and Diego Bruciaferri

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Short summary
Meteotsunamis are rare but dangerous anomalous waves triggered by atmospheric disturbances, they are not currently forecast in Northwest Europe. We analysed the strongest recorded event on June 18, 2022, which reached 1 m amplitude. We showed high-resolution, high-frequency coupled models can predict such events up to three days ahead and help better understand their atmospheric triggers. These models, together with improved observations, can enhance early warnings and coastal safety.
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