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

• Main Authors: Nair, T.M.B, Remya, P.G., Harikumar, R., Sandhya, K.G., Sirisha, P., Srinivas, K., Nagaraju, C., Nherakkol, A., KrishnaPrasad, B., Jeyakumar, C., Kaviyazhahu, K., Hithin, N.K., Kumari, R., SanilKumar, V., RameshKumar, M., Shenoi, S.S.C., Nayak, S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Current Science Association 2014
• Subjects: hurricanes; swell; wave forecasting; cyclone; Landfall Point; Southern Ocean
• Online Access: http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/4527

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 sidnificant wave heights matched well at Gopalpur with correlation coefficient of 0.98, RMS error of 0.35 m and scatter index of 14%. Forcasts 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.