HR: 0830h
AN: A31E-0103    [PDF]
TI: Prediction of Significant Wave Heights in Extreme Storms Affecting Far North Alaska
AU: * Cassano, E N
EM: ecassano@cires.colorado.edu
AF: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, 216 UCB University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 United States
AU: Thornbrugh, C
EM: c9898@unm.edu
AF: University of New Mexico, Department of Geography, Albuquerque, NM 87131 United States
AU: Lynch, A
EM: manda@cires.colorado.edu
AF: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, 216 UCB University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 United States
AU: Lynch, A
EM: manda@cires.colorado.edu
AF: Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 311 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 United States
AB: Barrow, Alaska is located at the northernmost point of the United States on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. The area surrounding Barrow is low lying and is thus vulnerable to coastal flooding via waves and storm surges. Previous modeling of flooding resulting from a storm that affected Barrow and the rest of the North Slope coast region in October 1963 did not reproduce observed flooding, which was substantially greater than modeled. It is hypothesized that because this model only incorporated storm surge and not waves, the model was unable to simulate the total amount of flooding. The current study examines a recent storm that affected the North Slope of Alaska on July 28-30, 2003, and includes prediction of wave height using the SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) model. In addition this study considers the formation and development, climatological context, and community responses for this storm. Results from the wave modeling portion of this study will be incorporated into a coastal flooding model in order to better simulate the coastal environment under extreme conditions in this area.
DE: 3349 Polar meteorology
DE: 3384 Waves and tides
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting