Extreme Wave Height Events in NW Spain: A Combined Multi-Sensor and Model Approach

Abstract

The Galician coast (NW Spain) is a region that is strongly influenced by the presence of low pressure systems in the mid-Atlantic Ocean and the periodic passage of storms that give rise to severe sea states. Since its wave climate is one of the most energetic in Europe, the objectives of this paper were twofold. The first objective was to characterize the most extreme wave height events in Galicia over the wintertime of a two-year period (2015-2016) by using reliable high-frequency radar wave parameters in concert with predictions from a regional wave (WAV) forecasting system running operationally in the Iberia-Biscay-Ireland (IBI) area, denominated IBI-WAV. The second objective was to showcase the application of satellite wave altimetry (in particular, remote-sensed three-hourly wave height estimations) for the daily skill assessment of the IBI-WAV model product. Special attention was focused on monitoring Ophelia-one of the major hurricanes on record in the easternmost Atlantic-during its 3-day track over Ireland and the UK (15-17 October 2017). Overall, the results reveal the significant accuracy of IBI-WAV forecasts and prove that a combined observational and modeling approach can provide a comprehensive characterization of severe wave conditions in coastal areas and shows the benefits from the complementary nature of both systems.

Comparison of HF Radar Fields of Directional Wave Spectra Against In Situ Measurements at Multiple Locations

“…Among the tools able to retrieve spatial data, HF radar is a remote sensing technique that has the capability of providing a relatively large coverage with high temporal and spatial resolution. Nowadays, this technology plays an essential role in monitoring surface currents ( [1][2][3]), whereas the suitability of its wave products for different applications has only recently begun to be explored ( [4][5][6][7]).…”

Real-Time Tsunami Detection with Oceanographic Radar Based on Virtual Tsunami Observation Experiments

“…Considering the recent progress in HF radar measurement of wind-wave parameters (e.g., [4,5]), we should be able to evaluate the detection probability along the beams for a tsunami scenario in real time in the near future. In addition, we will soon apply the present method for longer-range NJRC HF radars with a center frequency of 13.5 MHz, to be deployed on the southeast coast of Kyushu Island in Miyazaki Prefecture (see Figure 1) and operated from April 2019.…”

“…2018, 10, 1126 2 of 17 periodic time oscillations in the wave parameters (height, period, direction) forced by semidiurnal tides, which was never observed before HF radar. Recently, Lorente et al [5] demonstrated the significant advantages of HF radar in surface wave measurements, with moderate root mean squared error and correlation coefficients, based on comparisons between HF radar and in situ wave observations during a winter season including extreme wave height events (significant wave height > 10 m). HF radar application for tsunami detection has been discussed theoretically and numerically over the past 40 years (e.g., [6,7]), and since the velocity fields of a tsunami were first measured using HF radar (e.g., [8][9][10]), the development of HF radar systems for tsunami detection has progressed.…”

The Global High Frequency Radar Network

“…In this context, recent efforts have been focused on the improvement of wave height estimation for highly variable sea states by using dual-frequency HFR systems (Wyatt and Green, 2009). HFR-derived wave measurements also have a broad range of practical applications and can be used as benchmark for wave model skill assessment (Lorente et al, 2018), as input for assimilation into SWAN or Wavewatch III models (Waters et al, 2013), or for the analysis of extreme wave height events (Atan et al, 2015).…”