The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020

Here we present a mean and extreme tropical cyclone (TC)-generated wave climate for the Coral Sea (the oceanic basin east of Australia), for 1979–2020. An available WAVEWATCH III® hindcast model dataset with surface wind forcing from the National Centres for Environmental Prediction supplied Climate...

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Main Authors: John G. Miller, Guilherme Vieira da Silva, Darrell Strauss
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-03-01
Series:Tropical Cyclone Research and Review
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225603225000098
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author John G. Miller
Guilherme Vieira da Silva
Darrell Strauss
author_facet John G. Miller
Guilherme Vieira da Silva
Darrell Strauss
author_sort John G. Miller
collection DOAJ
description Here we present a mean and extreme tropical cyclone (TC)-generated wave climate for the Coral Sea (the oceanic basin east of Australia), for 1979–2020. An available WAVEWATCH III® hindcast model dataset with surface wind forcing from the National Centres for Environmental Prediction supplied Climate Forecasts System Version 2 was used. The resolution of this wind field is 0.3°, increasing to 0.2° from 2011, among the highest available to better represent TC vortices. The spatial and temporal resolution of the wave model was sufficient to produce TC wave climates, although a limitation in representing TCs at both ends of the intensity scale was apparent. Model performance was validated using wave buoy data at three coastal locations. The area near the Tropic of Capricorn, around 155° E, experienced the largest TC-generated mean waves with the locations of the primary swell height maxima shifted slightly north-west, in comparison with combined waves. There was an interdecadal increase (decrease) in TC significant wave height with positive (negative) IPO phase in three of the four decades. TC extreme wave maxima were situated further east, compared to the TC generated mean waves. The 50 and 100-year average return intervals indicated high extreme waves near the northeastern tip of Australia and northwest of New Caledonia. For the east Australian coast, extreme waves from TCs showed a decreasing trend in the south only. This study presents a unique mapping of TC wave characteristics over the entire Coral Sea and validates the use of a globally applicable method, for such applications.
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spelling doaj-art-9eb7da6780634aa4964bce48e1ecdeab2025-08-20T02:08:27ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Tropical Cyclone Research and Review2225-60322025-03-01141405910.1016/j.tcrr.2025.03.001The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020John G. Miller0Guilherme Vieira da Silva1Darrell Strauss2Corresponding author.; Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, AustraliaCoastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, AustraliaCoastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, AustraliaHere we present a mean and extreme tropical cyclone (TC)-generated wave climate for the Coral Sea (the oceanic basin east of Australia), for 1979–2020. An available WAVEWATCH III® hindcast model dataset with surface wind forcing from the National Centres for Environmental Prediction supplied Climate Forecasts System Version 2 was used. The resolution of this wind field is 0.3°, increasing to 0.2° from 2011, among the highest available to better represent TC vortices. The spatial and temporal resolution of the wave model was sufficient to produce TC wave climates, although a limitation in representing TCs at both ends of the intensity scale was apparent. Model performance was validated using wave buoy data at three coastal locations. The area near the Tropic of Capricorn, around 155° E, experienced the largest TC-generated mean waves with the locations of the primary swell height maxima shifted slightly north-west, in comparison with combined waves. There was an interdecadal increase (decrease) in TC significant wave height with positive (negative) IPO phase in three of the four decades. TC extreme wave maxima were situated further east, compared to the TC generated mean waves. The 50 and 100-year average return intervals indicated high extreme waves near the northeastern tip of Australia and northwest of New Caledonia. For the east Australian coast, extreme waves from TCs showed a decreasing trend in the south only. This study presents a unique mapping of TC wave characteristics over the entire Coral Sea and validates the use of a globally applicable method, for such applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225603225000098Tropical cyclonesSouth West PacificCoral SeaWavesWave climateExtreme waves
spellingShingle John G. Miller
Guilherme Vieira da Silva
Darrell Strauss
The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020
Tropical Cyclone Research and Review
Tropical cyclones
South West Pacific
Coral Sea
Waves
Wave climate
Extreme waves
title The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020
title_full The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020
title_fullStr The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020
title_full_unstemmed The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020
title_short The mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the Coral Sea, from 1979 to 2020
title_sort mean and extreme tropical cyclone wave climate throughout the coral sea from 1979 to 2020
topic Tropical cyclones
South West Pacific
Coral Sea
Waves
Wave climate
Extreme waves
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225603225000098
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