Improving the modeled variability estimates of offshore winds in Northern Europe by nudging ASCAT-derived winds

Abstract

Abstract The paper aims to demonstrate how to enhance the accuracy of offshore wind resource estimation, specifically by incorporating near-surface satellite-derived wind observations into mesoscale models. We utilized the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and applied observational nudging by integrating ASCAT data over offshore areas to achieve this. We then evaluated the accuracy of the nudged WRF model simulations by comparing them with data from ocean oil platforms, tall masts, and a wind Lidar mounted on a commercial ferry crossing the southern Baltic Sea. Our findings indicate that including satellite-derived ASCAT wind speeds through nudging enhances the correlation and reduces the error of the mesoscale simulations across all validation platforms. Moreover, it consistently outperforms the control and previously published WRF-based wind atlases. Using satellite-derived winds directly in the model simulations also solves the issue of lifting near-surface winds to wind turbine heights, which has been challenging in estimating wind resources at such heights. The comparison of the one-year-long simulations with and without nudging reveals intriguing differences in the sign and magnitude between the Baltic and North Seas, which vary seasonally. The pattern highlights a distinct regional pattern attributed to regional dynamics, sea surface temperature, atmospheric stability, and the number of available ASCAT samples.