Loading...
1 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
- Improved estimates of extreme wave conditions in coastal areas from calibrated global reanalysesPublication . Fanti, Valeria; Ferreira, Oscar; Kümmerer, Vincent; Loureiro, CarlosThe analysis of extreme wave conditions is crucial for understanding and mitigating coastal hazards. As global wave reanalyses allow to extend the evaluation of wave conditions to periods and locations not covered by in-situ measurements, their direct use is common. However, in coastal areas, the accuracy of global reanalyses is lower, particularly for extreme waves. Here we compare two leading global wave reanalyses against 326 coastal buoys, demonstrating that both reanalyses consistently underestimate significant wave height, 50-year return period and mean wave period in most coastal locations around the world. Different calibration methods applied to improve the modelled extreme waves, resulting in a 53% reduction in the underestimation of extreme wave heights. Importantly, the 50-year return period for significant wave height is improved on average by 55%. Extreme wave statistics determined for coastal areas directly from global wave reanalyses require careful consideration, with calibration largely reducing uncertainty and improving confidence. Leading global wave reanalyses greatly underestimate extreme wave heights in coastal regions but this can be reduced with the use of individual or global calibration equations, according to an evaluation of wave height reanalyses validated against data from 326 coastal buoys.