Wind & Waves – Wave Heights

The operational wave and wind forecasts use the data from the NCEP/EMC global deterministic wave model unified with the Global Forecast System (GFS). The WAVEWATCH III spectral wave model is one way coupled to the atmospheric forecast model. In addition, ocean currents from the Global Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (RTOFS) are input to the wave model. The model is run by NCEP four times a day: 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z and produces hourly forecasts out to 120 hours and every 3 hours from 120 to 384 hrs (5-16 days). There are three native computational grids, one for the arctic, one for the northern hemisphere (15S to 52.5N), and one for the southern hemisphere (10.5S to 79.5S), and four post-processed grids.