Coupling of high-resolution meteorological and wave models over southern Italy

Abstract. In the framework of RISKMED project, three different high-resolution limited area meteorological models (BOLAM, MOLOCH and WRF) have been run over southern Italy for the retrospective analysis of three case studies characterized by strong winds and severe wave conditions in the Ionian, southern Adriatic and southern Tyrrhenian seas. All the models were able to reproduce the main meteorological features of each event.

The wind fields simulated by the meteorological models and those provided by the ECMWF analysis have been ingested into a wave model (WAM) for the hindcast of the main wave parameters. The results have been compared with the observations of three buoys whose measurements were available in the area of interest.

A remarkable improvement in the representation of the significant wave height came out using the limited area model data with respect to the simulations where the ECMWF analyses were used as forcing. Among the limited area models, the BOLAM-MOLOCH modelling system provided slightly better performances. From the limited set of simulations, the different model predictions came out closer to each other and more skilful in areas where the waves approach the coastline perpendicularly from the open sea.