Simulation of hurricane Lorenzo at the port of Madalena do Pico, Azores, by using the HIDRALERTA system

Abstract

HIDRALERTA is a forecast, early warning and risk assessment system of port and coastal areas that uses measurements/estimates of sea-waves and water levels to evaluate overtopping/flooding. The calculation of the mean overtopping discharge over a maritime structure is performed through artificial neural network-based tools and/or empirical formulae. The system is composed of four modules developed in open source Web technology, mainly using the Python language. This paper presents its application to reproduce the hurricane Lorenzo conditions and impacts at Madalena do Pico port, Azores, on October 2 2019. This hurricane was regarded as the strongest storm to hit Azores in 20 years. The application of HIDRALERTA focus mainly on the second and fourth modules: wave run-up/overtopping and warning system.