Is the extreme wave climate in the NE Pacific increasing?

Abstract

Recent studies reveal important trends in mean values, high percentiles and extreme events of significant wave height (SWH) in the northeast (NE) Pacific using buoy measurements. However, the spatial variability of these trends has not been well addressed since the sparse and uneven coverage of wave buoys makes it difficult to assess spatial patterns. In this work, we analyze the long-term variability of extreme significant wave height along the northeast Pacific using two time-dependent extreme value models and three different datasets from buoys, satellite missions and hindcast databases. Significant long-term trends of extreme SWH have been detected reinforcing the previous studies. We also demonstrate an impact of El Nino on extreme wave heights in the NE Pacific as well as important correlations with mid-latitudinal climate patterns (e.g. PNA index).