Jose-Henrique G. M. Alves

Operational Forecasting of Wind-Generated Waves by Hurricane Isabel at NCEP*

Abstract The accuracy of the operational wave models at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) for sea states generated by Hurricane Isabel is assessed. The western North Atlantic (WNA) and the North Atlantic hurricane (NAH) wave models are validated using analyzed wind fields, and wave observations from the Jason-1 altimeter and from 15 moored buoys. Both models provided excellent guidance for Isabel in the days preceding landfall of the hurricane along the east coast of the United States. However, the NAH model outperforms the WNA model in the initial stages of Isabel, when she was a category 5 hurricane. The NAH model was also more accurate in providing guidance for the swell systems arriving at the U.S. coast well before landfall of Isabel. Although major model deficiencies can be attributed to shortcomings in the driving wind fields, several areas of potential wave model improvement have been identified.

An Operational System for Predicting Hurricane-Generated Wind Waves in the North Atlantic Ocean*

Abstract A new wind–wave prediction model, referred to as the North Atlantic hurricane (NAH) wave model, has been developed at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) to produce forecasts of hurricane-generated waves during the Atlantic hurricane season. A detailed description of this model and a comparison of its performance against the operational western North Atlantic (WNA) wave model during Hurricanes Isidore and Lili, in 2002, are presented. The NAH and WNA models are identical in their physics and numerics. The NAH model uses a wind field obtained by blending data from NCEP’s operational Global Forecast System (GFS) with those from a higher-resolution hurricane prediction model, whereas the WNA wave model uses winds provided exclusively by the GFS. Relative biases of the order of 10% in the prediction of maximum wave heights up to 48 h in advance, indicate that the use of higher-resolution winds in the NAH model provides a successful framework for predicting extreme sea states gene...

The Operational Implementation of a Great Lakes Wave Forecasting System at NOAA/NCEP*

AbstractThe development of a Great Lakes wave forecasting system at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) is described. The system is an implementation of the WAVEWATCH III model, forced with atmospheric data from NCEP’s regional Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model [the North American Mesoscale Model (NAM)] and the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). Reviews are made of previous Great Lakes wave modeling efforts. The development history of NCEP’s Great Lakes wave forecasting system is presented. A performance assessment is made of model wind speeds, as well as wave heights and periods, relative to National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) measurements. Performance comparisons are made relative to NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) wave prediction system. Results show that 1- and 2-day forecasts from NCEP have good skill in predicting wave heights and periods. NCEP’s system provides a better representation of measured wave periods, relative to the GLER...

A Multigrid Wave Forecasting Model: A New Paradigm in Operational Wave Forecasting

AbstractA new operational wave forecasting system has been implemented at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) using the third public release of WAVEWATCH III. The new system uses a mosaic of grids with two-way nesting in a single model. This global system replaces a previous operational wave modeling suite (based on the second release of WAVEWATCH III). The new forecast system consists of nine grids at different resolutions to provide the National Weather Service (NWS) and NCEP centers with model guidance of suitable resolution for all areas where they have the responsibility of providing gridded forecast products. New features introduced in WAVEWATCH III, such as two-way nesting between grids and carving out selected areas of the computational domain, have allowed the operational model to increase spatial resolution and extend the global domain closer to the North Pole, while at the same time optimizing the computational cost. A spectral partitioning algorithm has been implemented to...

The NCEP–FNMOC Combined Wave Ensemble Product: Expanding Benefits of Interagency Probabilistic Forecasts to the Oceanic Environment

The U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) have joined forces to establish a first global multicenter ensemble system dedicated to probabilistic forecasts of windwave heights. Both centers run independent wave ensemble systems (WES), which are combined onto a multicenter system with 41 members. A performance assessment of the multicenter wave-height product is made relative to altimeter data. Computed estimates of mean errors, ability to represent uncertainty, and reliability of probabilistic forecasts indicate that the multicenter ensemble product outperforms individual WES and deterministic wave models alike. The investigation includes an evaluation made at NCEPs National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the multicenter WES product, including severe sea-state events. The interagency collaboration has provided an opportunity to investigate in more depth the properties of wave ensembles, which has led to planned improvements ...

Operational Wave Guidance at the U.S. National Weather Service during Tropical/Post–Tropical Storm Sandy, October 2012*

AbstractWaves generated during Hurricane Sandy (October 2012) contributed significantly to life and property losses along the eastern U.S. seaboard. Extreme waves generated by Sandy propagated inland riding high water levels, causing direct destruction of property and infrastructure. High waves also contributed to the observed record-breaking storm surges. Operational wave-model guidance provided by the U.S. National Weather Service, via numerical model predictions made at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), gave decision makers accurate information that helped mitigate the severity of this historical event. The present study provides a comprehensive performance assessment of operational models used by NCEP during Hurricane Sandy, and makes a brief review of reports issued by government agencies, private industry, and universities, indicating the importance of the interplay of waves and surges during the hurricane. Performance of wave models is assessed through validation made rel...

Numerical modeling of space-time wave extremes using WAVEWATCH III

A novel implementation of parameters estimating the space-time wave extremes within the spectral wave model WAVEWATCH III (WW3) is presented. The new output parameters, available in WW3 version 5.16, rely on the theoretical model of Fedele (J Phys Oceanogr 42(9):1601-1615, 2012) extended by Benetazzo et al. (J Phys Oceanogr 45(9):2261–2275, 2015) to estimate the maximum second-order nonlinear crest height over a given space-time region. In order to assess the wave height associated to the maximum crest height and the maximum wave height (generally different in a broad-band stormy sea state), the linear quasi-determinism theory of Boccotti (2000) is considered. The new WW3 implementation is tested by simulating sea states and space-time extremes over the Mediterranean Sea (forced by the wind fields produced by the COSMO-ME atmospheric model). Model simulations are compared to space-time wave maxima observed on March 10th, 2014, in the northern Adriatic Sea (Italy), by a stereo camera system installed on-board the “Acqua Alta” oceanographic tower. Results show that modeled space-time extremes are in general agreement with observations. Differences are mostly ascribed to the accuracy of the wind forcing and, to a lesser extent, to the approximations introduced in the space-time extremes parameterizations. Model estimates are expected to be even more accurate over areas larger than the mean wavelength (for instance, the model grid size).

Operational Wave Prediction System at Environment Canada: Going Global to Improve Regional Forecast Skill

AbstractA global deterministic wave prediction system (GDWPS) is used to improve regional forecasts of waves off the Canadian coastline and help support the practice of safe marine activities in Canadian waters. The wave model has a grid spacing of ¼° with spectral resolution of 36 frequency bins and 36 directional bins. The wave model is driven with hourly 10-m winds generated by the operational global atmospheric prediction system. Ice conditions are updated every three hours using the ice concentration forecasts generated by the Global Ice–Ocean Prediction System. Wave forecasts are evaluated over two periods from 15 August to 31 October 2014 and from 15 December 2014 to 28 February 2015, as well as over select cases during the fall of 2012. The global system is shown to improve wave forecast skill over regions where forecasts were previously produced using limited-area models only. The usefulness of a global expansion is demonstrated for large swell events affecting the northeast Pacific. The first va...