Squall Detection and Analysis From Historical Satellite Data

Thunderstorms and squalls (fronts of contiguous thunderstorms) are associated with short but intense local winds that have a great impact on operability or design conditions for moored ship operations in the coastal zone. The brevity and local scale of such events makes them difficult to capture using standard measurement data and usually requires dedicated long-term measurement campaigns. Because the standard measurements available are usually based on 10-minute averages taken once an hour, such data is often not available. In the absence of conventional measured data, the use of satellite data can provide useful design data if analyzed and applied with caution. We present two case studies (West Africa and Brazil) where squalls have been identified in satellite data and used for extreme value analysis (EVA) to support the design of intermediate water depth mooring systems. The detection of squalls is confirmed with satellite imagery and the handling of this data for the EVA is presented in detail with assumptions made and the sensitivity of the results to these assumptions. The impact on design values is also discussed for both geographic locations.