A 45-year updating wind and wave hindcast over the Oman Sea and the Arabian Sea

Abstract

This study focuses on developing a comprehensive and reliable wind and wave hindcast for the Oman Sea and Arabian Sea, spanning a significant 45-year period (1979–2024). The objective is to capture the intricate wind and wave climate of the region, characterized by distinct monsoon cycles and occasional tropical cyclones. The availability of extensive wave data over four decades would be an irreplaceable tool for researchers and engineers, enabling improved accuracy in extreme value analysis, sediment transport studies, and wave-induced current simulations. Despite limited field observations, all available measured data within the region were collected, analyzed for configuration of the models and utilized for model calibration and validation. The hindcast data was generated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for winds and WAVEWATCH III (WW3) model for waves, and evaluated against observational and measured wind and wave parameters. A comprehensive statistical analysis of the hindcast model's performance reveals adequate agreement with measured data, as evidenced by root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 1.23 m/s for wind speeds and 0.37 m for significant wave heights in average. These results underscore the model's reliability for research and engineering applications, particularly in the Arabian Sea, with a focus on the northern coastlines of the Oman Sea. The specific model configuration employed in this study holds significant potential for future investigations in the northern Indian Ocean, offering a valuable tool for understanding and predicting climatical conditions in this region.