ATMOSPHERIC CLIMATE CONTROL OF DIRECTIONAL WAVES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND
Résumé
Understanding multi-annual to decadal atmospheric climate controls on winter-wave climate is critical for coastal vulnerability assessment and future development of 'season ahead' forecasting of coastal risk. We examine the relationships between winter-average climate indices (NAO and WEPA) and directional wave power at 63 inshore locations throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland (UK&I). Analysis of hindcast wave data between 1980-2017 illustrate the extent of directional bi-modality, with 67% of inshore sites displaying directionally multimodal wave climates. Analysis of directional modes as a function of climatic indices illustrated the control exerted by NAO/WEPA on directional balance of inshore winter wave climate. Along Channel and southern North Sea coasts +WEPA significantly explains winter-averaged wave power for southwesterly wave directional modes (r = 0.58-0.77) and-NAO significantly explains variability in all easterly wave modes (r = 0.6-0.76), providing a mechanism for which 'season ahead' inshore wave climate forecasting and rotational beach response can be based.
Domaines
Océanographie
Loading...