Sea level anomaly forecasts on a coastal waveguide

Abstract

An approach to reduce forecast data to coastal waveguide coordinates is described and demonstrated, informed by the literature on coastally trapped waves (CTWs). All discussion is limited to the Australian mainland but the approach is generally relevant to regions where CTWs influence sea level, including the Americas and Africa. The approach does not produce new forecasts, but aims to focus forecaster attention on aspects of sea level forecasts prominent on the long Australian coast. The approach also explicitly addresses spatial issues associated with measuring coastal paths. Coastal paths are scale dependent and forecast models discretize the coastal boundary differently. A well-defined coastal path is required for the quantitative application of CTW concepts such as propagation distance and offshore direction. The relevance of coastally trapped signals and remote forcing is documented in the oceanographic literature, but is effectively unknown to the general public and rarely mentioned in press reports of sea level events such as nuisance flooding. Routine presentation of forecast guidance in waveguide coordinates could contribute to the transfer of oceanographic research understanding into forecast narratives. In addition, the approach can facilitate quantitative forecast evaluations that target CTW properties. Two ocean forecast systems are contrasted in this framework for the Australian mainland. One year of daily forecasts are compared, with indications that model baroclinicity is of practical relevance.