While inland areas have been hit by inland river flooding fairly often in recent times, the past couple of months has seen both the East and West coast of the country affected by coastal flooding.
While we have experienced an attack of depressions for a number of weeks now, the severity of these hitting our shores has not been too dissimilar to events in the past.
So why have these past two months seen some destruction around popular areas of our coasts.
It's the combination of these winds with very high tides of course, but got me thinking why don't we experience more frequent events such as these.

Since seeing the Severn Bore in the seventies, I have received timetables for the wave each year and now view these in recent times when they are published on the internet. The timetable is a good guide of when the country will see the highest tides, as only these generate a bore at certain times during the year.
I've always thought what would happen to the height of the bore if this coincided with deep low pressure and subsequent SW winds from the Atlantic. While I feel for those affected, I have found these past two days fascinating to see what happens and the effect. The river has been running high with freshwater levels from all the rain, but a bore has still been generated and the following tide after one of these yesterday was enough to breach defences.

In all, I have found since the seventies that the large bores generally occur coincidentally when high pressure is over the country, and very little problems occur.
These coastal flooding events in past two months have occurred as a result of coinciding with very high tides, so I do wonder if we have been in fact fairly lucky if that's the word up to now.

While the recent coastal flooding has occurred when 3 star bores have been forecast, in early Feb and early March there is the prospect of 5 star bores (very rare to have two) which means the tides will be higher still than now. Just hope those areas affected can rebuild before these occur and if strong winds combine at the same time.

Probably seen some of the worst coastal flooding in Guernsey for 10 or so years. Perhaps the only saving grace from more severe flooding was the fact that the wind had a more southerly influence and the highest tide was 10.0 metres and not 10.3 or 10.4 metres which is about the biggest we get!

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Worlwide, building a stone's throw from the ocean is never without risk, it's surpring the water doesn't get angry and destroy things far more often IMO.
People still build  there because for a variety of reasons it's economically advantageous.

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http://www.amazon.co.uk/THE-SEVERN-BORE-Fred-Rowbotham/dp/B0006BNEDI

The definitive book on the subject.

I think you'll find that two 5-star bores in a year, and more, will become more common as we reach the peak of the 11-year cycle which combines solar and lunar effects most effectively. From memory, the peak should occur in 2-3 years' time.

For a spectacular bore, you need neither too much nor too little water in the river and a good storm surge in addition to the predicted tidal effects. The recent overtopping of the banks was as far as I can see because a moderately good bore was combining with a very full river.

If you're right about high pressure, we have indeed been lucky, as in my experience a good SW gale will create a good storm surge, not usually associated with high pressure. It is possible (I've done it when I was younger and fitter) to see the same bore in five different places, using a bicycle to get past the crowds and Gloucester rush-hour traffic.

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Managed it at 4 places Dew, starting at Newnham, then Severn Bore inn, Minsterworth and Overbridge. Apart from Newnham, would like to view where the wave breaks as it usually just comes through as smooth hump of water.

try the east bank - Hock Cliff (interesting as it gathers itself with one wave coming up the main channel and another across the sands), Epney (classic surfing stretch), Waterend (where the surfers fall off at the sharp bend), Stonebench (watch out for flooded roads on a big bore), and if you really get the bike flying, Overbridge or Maisemore

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Know your locations there! Thanks Dew.