LAUSR

ABSTRACT The nearshore significant wave parameters are simulated in this study using the SWAN model forced with three different winds, such as QuikSCAT/NCEP blended winds, ECMWF Interim, and NCEP CFSR winds. The SWAN model is set up using appropriate bottom, water level, and current conditions off northeast and northwest coasts of India with horizontal grid resolutions of 0.1° × 0.1° and open sea boundary conditions (BC) from the global runs of WAM and WWIII. The simulated outputs such as significant wave height and mean wave period are compared with buoy measurements for a coastal location off Gopalpur, and the SWAN results using BC of WAM and WWIII have been inter-compared. Overall, the comparison shows that SWAN hindcast using WAM BC and WWIII BC is rather skillful in predicting the integral wave parameters. It is also evident that SWAN model has a tendency to overestimate significant wave height, but it is noted that the model performed well using the NCEP CFSR winds compared with other two winds forcing with better performance using WAM BC for July 2008 and January 2009. The study shows how wind dataset affects the numerical wave modeling performance, and that depending on location and model set up, different wind inputs should be considered.