Lake Michigan Storm: Wave and Water Level Modeling
Abstract
This report documents the methodologies used, procedures followed to generate wind, wave, and storm surge estimates for 150 preselected extreme storm events along the Lake Michigan coastline. These simulations provide a storm climatology spanning 60-years (1960 through 2009). Two methodologies are used to generate the wind and pressure fields for the Lake Michigan region. The NOAA/NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis, a 30-year (1979 through 2009) archive data set providing gridded wind speed, direction and sea level surface pressure fields. The second being the Natural Neighbor Method developing necessary fields from point source meteorological stations on a fixed grid system (1960 though 1978). Archived ice concentration fields were applied to the extreme storm events occurring during the winter months. The WAM model and STWAVE are used to describe the wave climate; ADCIRC is used to estimate the surge. The models are rigorously evaluated for a pre-selected storm population, using both wind field methodologies and compared to existing data sources (winds, waves and water levels). Upon completion of this evaluation phase, the 150-extreme storm events are simulated and evaluated at gage sites, for the entire coastline of Lake Michigan.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA571674
Entities
People
- Bruce A. Ebersole
- Leonette Thomas
- Mary A. Cialone
- Mary E Anderson
- Raymond S. Chapman
- Robert E. Jensen
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center