View of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Photo was taken from the bluff on East Cliff Drive, east of the San Lorenzo River mouth. Sand on the beach gets eroded, redistributed, and deposited due to the dynamic conditions brought about by storms and changing river flow.
Andrea O'Neill
Oceanographer with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
I'm an oceanographer and meteorologist with the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, CA. I have expertise in coastal and marine hazards projections, hydrodynamic simulations, and coastal impacts from long-term and extreme storms.
Professional Experience
Following 11 years of meteorological and oceanographic forecasting in the Western Pacific for the U.S. Navy, I joined the USGS doing long-term coastal flooding hazards projections using the Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS).
Education and Certifications
B.S. in Oceanography from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA
M.S. in physical oceanography and meteorology from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA
Science and Products
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS)
Satellite-derived shorelines from CoastSeg in multiple U.S. locations (1984-2023) Satellite-derived shorelines from CoastSeg in multiple U.S. locations (1984-2023)
Satellite-derived shorelines for the U.S. Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida for the period 1984-2022, obtained using CoastSat Satellite-derived shorelines for the U.S. Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida for the period 1984-2022, obtained using CoastSat
Projections of shoreline change for California due to 21st century sea-level rise Projections of shoreline change for California due to 21st century sea-level rise
Future coastal hazards along the U.S. Atlantic coast Future coastal hazards along the U.S. Atlantic coast
Future coastal hazards along the U.S. North and South Carolina coasts Future coastal hazards along the U.S. North and South Carolina coasts
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Northern California 3.2 (ver. 1g, April 2025) Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Northern California 3.2 (ver. 1g, April 2025)
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Central California, v3.1 Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Central California, v3.1
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Southern California, v3.0, Phase 2 Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Southern California, v3.0, Phase 2
Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and China Camp marsh (northern San Francisco Bay), 2013-2016 Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and China Camp marsh (northern San Francisco Bay), 2013-2016
Near-surface wind fields for San Francisco Bay--historical and 21st-century projected time series Near-surface wind fields for San Francisco Bay--historical and 21st-century projected time series
View of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Photo was taken from the bluff on East Cliff Drive, east of the San Lorenzo River mouth. Sand on the beach gets eroded, redistributed, and deposited due to the dynamic conditions brought about by storms and changing river flow.
Projections of multiple climate-related coastal hazards for the US Southeast Atlantic Projections of multiple climate-related coastal hazards for the US Southeast Atlantic
Scalable, data-assimilated models predict large-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise Scalable, data-assimilated models predict large-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise
A dataset of two-dimensional XBeach model set-up files for northern California A dataset of two-dimensional XBeach model set-up files for northern California
Forecasting storm-induced coastal flooding for 21st century sea-level rise scenarios in the Hawaiian, Mariana, and American Samoan Islands Forecasting storm-induced coastal flooding for 21st century sea-level rise scenarios in the Hawaiian, Mariana, and American Samoan Islands
Global projections of storm surges using high-resolution CMIP6 climate models Global projections of storm surges using high-resolution CMIP6 climate models
Rapid modeling of compound flooding across broad coastal regions and the necessity to include rainfall driven processes: A case study of Hurricane Florence (2018) Rapid modeling of compound flooding across broad coastal regions and the necessity to include rainfall driven processes: A case study of Hurricane Florence (2018)
Projecting climate dependent coastal flood risk with a hybrid statistical dynamical model Projecting climate dependent coastal flood risk with a hybrid statistical dynamical model
Impacts of sea-level rise on the tidal reach of California coastal rivers using the Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) Impacts of sea-level rise on the tidal reach of California coastal rivers using the Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS)
Dynamic flood modeling essential to assess the coastal impacts of climate change Dynamic flood modeling essential to assess the coastal impacts of climate change
Identification of storm events and contiguous coastal sections for deterministic modeling of extreme coastal flood events in response to climate change Identification of storm events and contiguous coastal sections for deterministic modeling of extreme coastal flood events in response to climate change
Assessing and communicating the impacts of climate change on the Southern California coast Assessing and communicating the impacts of climate change on the Southern California coast
Projected 21st century coastal flooding in the Southern California Bight. Part 2: Tools for assessing climate change-driven coastal hazards and socio-economic impacts Projected 21st century coastal flooding in the Southern California Bight. Part 2: Tools for assessing climate change-driven coastal hazards and socio-economic impacts
Science and Products
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS)
Satellite-derived shorelines from CoastSeg in multiple U.S. locations (1984-2023) Satellite-derived shorelines from CoastSeg in multiple U.S. locations (1984-2023)
Satellite-derived shorelines for the U.S. Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida for the period 1984-2022, obtained using CoastSat Satellite-derived shorelines for the U.S. Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida for the period 1984-2022, obtained using CoastSat
Projections of shoreline change for California due to 21st century sea-level rise Projections of shoreline change for California due to 21st century sea-level rise
Future coastal hazards along the U.S. Atlantic coast Future coastal hazards along the U.S. Atlantic coast
Future coastal hazards along the U.S. North and South Carolina coasts Future coastal hazards along the U.S. North and South Carolina coasts
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Northern California 3.2 (ver. 1g, April 2025) Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Northern California 3.2 (ver. 1g, April 2025)
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Central California, v3.1 Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Central California, v3.1
Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Southern California, v3.0, Phase 2 Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) for Southern California, v3.0, Phase 2
Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and China Camp marsh (northern San Francisco Bay), 2013-2016 Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and China Camp marsh (northern San Francisco Bay), 2013-2016
Near-surface wind fields for San Francisco Bay--historical and 21st-century projected time series Near-surface wind fields for San Francisco Bay--historical and 21st-century projected time series
View of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Photo was taken from the bluff on East Cliff Drive, east of the San Lorenzo River mouth. Sand on the beach gets eroded, redistributed, and deposited due to the dynamic conditions brought about by storms and changing river flow.
View of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Photo was taken from the bluff on East Cliff Drive, east of the San Lorenzo River mouth. Sand on the beach gets eroded, redistributed, and deposited due to the dynamic conditions brought about by storms and changing river flow.