Wave forecasting and monitoring during very severe cyclone Phailin in the Bay of Bengal

• Main Authors: Nair, Balakrishnan T. M., Remya, P. G., Harikumar, R., Sandhya, K. G., Sirisha, P., Srinivas, K., Nagaraju, C., Nherakkol, Arun, Prasad, Krishna B., Jeyakumar, C., Kaviyazhahu, K., Hithin, N. K., Kumari, Rakhi, Kumar, Sanil V., Kumar, Ramesh M., Shenoi, S. S. C., Nayak, Shailesh
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Current Science Association 2014
• Subjects: QE Geology; Landfall Point; Southern Ocean
• Online Access: https://repository.ias.ac.in/98759/; https://repository.ias.ac.in/98759/1/1121.pdf; http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/106/08/1121.pdf

Wave fields, both measured and forecast during the very severe cyclone Phailin, are discussed in this communication. Waves having maximum height of 13.54 m were recorded at Gopalpur, the landfall point of the cyclone. The forecast and observed significant wave heights matched well at Gopalpur with correlation coefficient of 0.98, RMS error of 0.35 m and scatter index of 14%. Forecasts were also validated in the open ocean and found to be reliable (scatter index < 15%). The study also revealed the presence of Southern Ocean swells with a peak period of 20-22 sec hitting Gopalpur coast along with the cyclone-generated waves.