Assessment of the Wind and Wave Climate of the Hellenic Seas Using 10-Year Hindcast Results

Abstract

In this work, the wind and wave climate of the Hellenic Seas, based on 10-year hindcast data, is described in detail. The wind and wave hindcast was carried out using an improved version of the SKIRON-Eta atmospheric model and the WAM-cycle 4 wave model with a high spatial resolution of 0.1ox0.1o and a model time step of 3 hours, in order to resolve efficiently offshore wind and wave conditions. The results cover the period 1995-2004 and are presented in the form of charts of the spatial distribution of specific wind and wave parameters as well as frequency histograms, on a sea- sonal and annual basis. The hindcast data were calibrated by means of measured wind and wave data from the POSEI- DON buoy network. Based on the calibrated hindcast results, a description of the main characteristics of the wind and wave climate of the Hellenic Seas is being attempted, while the corresponding dominant features are revealed and repre- sented as precisely as possible.