Sea-level rise (SLR), a climate hazard driven by global warming, poses a severe threat to low-lying coastal regions when combined with strong typhoons and storm surges, endangering human lives and socio-economic development. The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a core strategic zone for China’s economic development and is increasingly affected by such compound hazards, exacerbating its storm-related disasters amid climate change. Here, we analyze long-term observational data from the GBA using mathematical statistics and simulation methods to address these climate-related challenges. This study predicts future scenarios of extreme water levels in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), aiming to assess the hazard posed by storm surge disasters under varied sea-level rise (SLR) scenarios. The findings indicate that, under future climate projections, both the extreme water levels in the GBA and the hazard of storm surge disasters in its floodplain areas will exhibit a significant upward trend—with the degree of hazard amplification positively correlated with the magnitude of SLR. This study provides a scientific basis to improve the accuracy of extreme water-level prediction, supporting more reliable short-term early flood warnings. It also offers guidance for optimizing SLR-adapted coastal zone spatial planning, guiding the layout of storm surge control projects and land use in high-hazard areas. Additionally, our results fill a gap in the literature on the SLR’s impact in the GBA and support decision-makers in the GBA in building climate resilience and mitigating disaster hazards.
Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.