Coastal Sea Level Variability due to Meteorological Forcing in the Northern Coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil: Observations

Abstract

The low frequency sea level oscillations in northern coast of Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, were assessed through the observation of 5 months of sea level, wind and atmospheric pressure hourly records. This paper presents results of time-lag cross-correlation statistical analysis between both atmospheric forcing with the sea level. The maximum response of the coastal sea level was induced by local 12° N winds, which are locally long-shore oriented. The response of the sea level presented a 10-hour lag to the wind stress. The cross-shore wind ef-fect was negligible, and the isostatic effect of the atmospheric pressure was not observed.