The Modeling of Trapped-Fetch Waves with Tropical Cyclones—A Desktop Operational Model

The authors’ development of an underlying theory of trapped-fetch waves with tropical cyclones was presented in an earlier paper. Based on this work a simple, desktop Lagrangian-based trapped-fetch wave model was developed. Although initially a training tool, operational meteorologists recognized that the model could assist them in real-time assessment of trapped-fetch wave potential. Hence, the model was integrated into the Canadian Hurricane Centre’s operational prediction workstation. Because of this integration and the computational speed of the model, after reviewing the output from a full spectral wave model, the forecaster uses this simple model to assess, in more detail, trapped-fetch wave potential in various track prediction scenarios. The trapped-fetch wave model and the ensemble of parametric hurricane wind models used to drive the model are outlined in this paper. A number of case studies are examined and additional applications suggested.