Abstract. Wave data collected off Ratnagiri, west coast of India, during 1 May 2010 to 30 April 2012 are used in this study. Seasonal and annual variations in wave data controlled by the local wind system such as sea breeze and land breeze, and remote wind generated long period waves are also studied. The role of sea breeze on the sea state during pre-and postmonsoon seasons is studied and it is found that the maximum wave height is observed at 15:00 UTC during the premonsoon season, with an estimated difference in time lag of 1-2 h in maximum wave height between premonsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Observed waves are classified in to (i) short waves (T p < 8 s), (ii) intermediate waves (8 < T p < 13 s), and (iii) long waves (T p > 13 s) based on peak period (T p ) and the percentages of occurrence of each category are estimated. Long period waves are observed mainly during the pre-and the postmonsoon seasons. During the southwest monsoon period, the waves with period > 13 s are a minimum. An event during 2011 is identified as swells propagated from the Southern Ocean with an estimated travelling time of 5-6 days. The swells reaching the Arabian Sea from the south Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean, due to storms during the pre-and postmonsoon periods, modify the near surface winds due to higher phase wave celerity than the wind speed. Estimation of inverse wave age using large-scale winds such as NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) reflects the presence of cyclonic activity during pre-and postmonsoon seasons but not the effect of the local sea breeze/land breeze wind system.

No abstract

The link between North Indian Ocean (NIO) high swell events and the meteorological conditions over the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO) is explored in this article, using a combination of in situ measurements and model simulations for the year 2005. High waves, without any sign in the local winds, sometimes cause severe flooding events along the south‐west coast of India, locally known as the Kallakkadal events and cause major societal problems along the coasts. In situ observations report 10 high swell events in NIO during 2005. Our study confirms that these events are caused by the swells propagating from south of 30°S. In all cases, 3–5 days prior to the high swell events in NIO, we observed a severe low pressure system, called the Cut‐Off Low (COL) in the Southern Ocean. These COLs are quasistationary in nature, providing strong (∼25 ms−1) and long duration (∼3 days) surface winds over a large fetch; essential conditions for the generation of long‐period swells. The intense equator ward winds associated with COLs in the SIO trigger the generation of high waves, which propagate to NIO as swells. Furthermore, these swells cause high wave activity and sometimes Kallakkadal events along the NIO coastal regions, depending on the local topography, angle of incidence, and tidal conditions. Our study shows that such natural hazards along the NIO coasts can be forecasted at least 2 days in advance if the meteorological conditions of the SIO are properly monitored.

No abstract