A preliminary investigation using a Nova Scotia storm surge prediction model

Abstract

A test of a storm surge model using the shallow water equations is presented. The model is designed to be run using CMC (Canadian Meteorological Centre) prognostic data. The model incorporates a quadratic bottom friction term and is capable of including advective, topographic and tidal effects. It can simulate a moving land-sea boundary approximately. The model is applied to the east coast of Nova Scotia for the "Ground Hog Day" storm of February 1976. Meteorological forcing is calculated using subjectively analysed sea-level pressures. Away from open boundaries, the agreement with observed surge residuals is generally good. However, the results are less satisfactory near the boundaries. CMC meteorological data are found to underestimate the surface wind stress during this period. RÉSUMÉ Un modèle de marées de tempête qui emploie les équations d'eau peu profonde est ici présenté. Le modèle est conçu pour utiliser les prévisions de vent du CMC (Centre météorologique canadien). Le modèle utilise une friction de fond quadratique et peut inclure les effets d'advection, de reliefet de marée. Il peut simuler approximativement une interface mobile entre la mer et la terre.

Numerical simulation of the storm surge of January 1982 on the south coast of Newfoundland

“…A time-dependent two-dimensional (depth-averaged) numerical model was used. The equations are similar to those in Greenberg (1977), Henry (1982) and Gray et al (1984).…”

Inclusion of ice cover in a storm surge model for the Beaufort Sea

“…The variables (u, v, t#) are computed at the grid points of the Richardson grid shown in Gray et al (1984). The finite difference forms of Equations (2.1)-(2.3) are similar to those employed in that paper.…”

“…where k is taken as 0.0028 (similar to the value of 0.0025 employed by Gray et al (1984) where K = 5 x 104m2s -1 and K~ = 5 x 10Sm2s-1; these are the values used by Kowalik (1984). Campbell (1965) and Ling et al (1980) estimated K~ to be in the range 5 x104 t o 5 x 105m zs-1.…”

Storm surges in Canadian waters

“…Comparison of simulations from the model of Gray et al (1984) with observations showed that the predictions at Yarmouth could have been significantly affected by the neglect of an externally generated component of surge in the open-sea boundary input to the model. Therefore, the domain of the model was expanded to include all of the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy, thus effectively doubling the computational area (Rasmusen et al, 1986;Danard and Galbraith, 1988).…”

“…b Model Design Gray et al (1984) describe a numerical model for storm surges along the coast of Nova Scotia. The model is an adaptation of the shallow-water equation model described by Greenberg (1977) and Henry (1982).…”