Physics upgrades to NWS wave modeling systems

NCEP maintains 3 global wave modelling suites (a GFS driven system, a Hurricane driven system and an ensemble system) and 2 Great Lakes modeling systems (A NAM wind driven and a NDFD wind driven system). These wave modelling suites have gone through significant upgrades in the last two years that include new physics packages for wave growth and dissipation, as well as new swell dissipation physics, which have significantly improved skill scores across the model suites. Also the Hurricane wave system has been updated to work with the HWRF model which has also led to further improvements in the skill scores. The Great Lakes models have also benefited from the use of new curvilinear grids as well as enhancements to the wind forcings. All of these advancements shall be reported in this conference.

Apart from the upgrades to existing systems, NCEP is also bringing online a new Nearshore Wave Prediction System that is being developed in close partnerships with the regional centers and the local weather forecast offices. This is a new modelling paradigm where the model runs (and the corresponding forcing files) will be initiated by the local weather forecast offices. The development and time schedule of this system shall also be reported