Abstract:Based on historical tidal data from tide gauge stations in the Pearl River Estuary from 1970 to 2018 and the storm surge simulation results, the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics and influencing mechanisms of storm surge in the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area were analyzed. The results show that high surges frequently occurred in the Lingdingyang, Shiziyang, and front navigation route areas, which was related to the special geographical position of the region and energy convergence due to the funnel shape of the Lingdingyang Estuary. Surge extremes were affected by the landfall position and strength of typhoons. Storm surges mainly occurred in July, August and September, accounting for 74.4% of the total of the year. The frequency of severe typhoons affecting the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area increased significantly, and the extreme tide level at each station showed an increasing trend year by year, with an average rate of 0.02 to 0.03m/a. The typhoon track greatly influenced the spatial distribution of storm surge, and the location about 2.5 times the radius of the maximum wind speed from the typhoon landfall position can produce a large storm surge value when the landfall position was on the west coast of the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area. The maximum surge value increased with the decrease of pressure at the typhoon center, with a rate of about 0.4 to 1.1m surge increment for each 10hPa decrease of pressure. When the typhoon speed was up to 8.3m/s, a relatively stable gradient of water level could be formed in the Pearl River Estuary, leading to a high storm surge.