López-Gutiérrez, J.S.; Esteban, M.D.; Negro, V., and Wan, Y., 2020. Evolution of extreme waves in Cadiz (SW Spain). In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 272–277. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The impact of climate change is one of the main concerns of the society. One of its possible consequences is the increase of extreme events: floods, droughts and storms, as reflected in the climate change documents of the 2030 Agenda. The main objective of this research is to determine whether this increase can be confirmed in the coastal area of Cádiz (Spain). To achieve that, wave measurement buoys installed in the gulf and bay have been identified and their extreme statistical distributions have been studied. The evolution of the values of the significant wave height and the peak period of wave storms has been analyzed during the last decade. For that, 20, 50, 225 and 475 years of return period have been considered. For deeper research and more conclusive data, numerical simulations of wave propagation in the zone have been performed using the CMS-Wave model, developed by the USACE Hydraulics and Coastal Laboratory. One of the main conclusions of this investigation is that an increase in the magnitude of storms on the coast of Cádiz cannot be confirmed. This statement has important effects on the design of new maritime structures and the validation of the design of maritime structures already in operation.