As far as marine flooding in the UK , the Environment Agency for 6 hours deliberately sits on the surge data from the NSLF before sending out a warning. Of the 4 off 6-hourly NTSLF updates prior to any surge, the first, a day ahead, is little more than a hint, the second firms up or nullifies the first, the third is always near enough the same as the fourth. But the EA does not activate the warning process on the third update. When a third update of a surge is say 1.2m over predicted normal high tide level, the 0.1m more or less deviation from 1.2m of the fourth update is pretty irrelevant.
9pm Why cities flood I hope they show why the Spanish relevant agency sat on data rather than sending out alert/warning immediately. L'aquila effect?