EFFECT OF WAVE FORCING ON STORM SURGE

The disastrous effects of hurricanes on coastal communities are well known, and there is a need to better understand the causes of storm surge to prepare for future events. We are particularly interested in the effect of wave forces on overall surge. In the past, many models have neglected the influence of wave induced set-up. We use the Advanced Circulation Model for Coasts, Shelves, and Estuaries in two-dimensional depth-integrated mode (ADCIRC 2DDI) to predict the sea surface elevation response. We conduct a suite of model studies including hindcasts of hurricanes Georges and Isabel. The results from these hindcasts are compared to available field data. We find by including the wave forcing components, we are able to reduce the RMS error in our hindcast by 35% - 50% compared to forcing the model with the wind and pressure fields alone.