An operational wave forecasting system for the Portuguese continental coastal area

Abstract

An operational system based on numerical models for wind and wave forecasting in the Portuguese coastal area is presented. It is based on the wave models WAM (WAve prediction Model) and SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore), driven by the wind fields provided by the atmospheric models GFS (Global Forecast System) from NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) and MM5 (Mesoscale Meteorological Model), respectively.The system is operational since October 2008 and runs automatically on Linux and Windows environments. Forecast products for four days ahead are produced daily. Graphical outputs of the wave parameters (fields and temporal series) are made available in a restricted domain internet site. The validation of the results provided by the forecasting system is carried out by performing comparisons with both wind and wave measurements.