An operational hydrographic warning system for the North Sea and the Danish Belts

Abstract

An operational current and water level warning system for the North Sea and the Danish Belts is presented. Numerical hydrodynamic models have successfully been used to calculate tidal motions and storm surges in the North Sea. Such models can be used as an operational warning system by coupling to numerical weather forecast models, predicting the wind and pressure fields forcing the water masses. The hydrodynamic model S21, describing depth integrated two-dimensional flow, has been set-up for the North Sea, Danish Belts and the Baltic Sea and coupled to meteorological models calculating wind velocity and air pressure. An operational model set-up is described, which can predict hydrographic data for short range (36 h) and medium range (5 days) daily forecasts. Measured and calculated data are correlated continuously to update the forecasted hydrographic parameters at selected positions.