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NWW3 Wave Model Changes

The content provided on this page supports model development. These are not official NWS products and should not be relied upon for operational purposes. This web site is not subject to 24/7 support, and thus may be unavailable during system outages.

Operationally generated graphics of the wave fields (no spectra or source terms) are available from Model Analyses and Guidance.

Bulletin files are available from the Production FTP/HTTPS server. Look for gfs.YYYYMMDD/CC/wave/station/bulls.tCCz/gfswave.stationID.bull




2007   2006   2005   2004   2003   2002   2001   2000   1999   1998   1997

2007

September 18, 2007
Operational implementation of the multigrid version of the WAVEWATCH III® model. Changes to the model are documented in the NOAA Technical Implementation Notice 07-51. Major overhaul of the WAVEWATCH III® website to support the new model.

2006

August 21, 2006
Operational implementation of Great Lakes (GRL) waves model.
August 1, 2006
Adding buoy 44027 to WNA and NAH models.
July 25, 2006
Added points MFR51 through MFR63 to ENP and NPH models (ftp site only).
June 30, 2006
Experimental Great Lakes Waves web site opened to the public.
May 30, 2006
Capping the drag coeffcient to 0.0025 for more realistic stresses and wave growth in extreme wind conditions. This impacts wave growth in Hurricane conditions only.
April 14, 2006
First EGOWaFS web page openend to the public.
March 28, 2006
Operational implementation of the Ensemble GLobal Operational Wave Forecast System (EGOWaFS).

2005

November 15, 2005
Time resolution of NAH model GRIB files set to 1h (was 3h).
August 10, 2005
Adding point 46089 to the ENP and NPH models. Adding points 41040, 41041, 41100, 41101, 42055, 42056, 42057 and 42058 to WNA and NAH models.
June 2, 2005
Adding point WRB07 to the WNA and NAH models.
May 31, 2005
Adaptation of NOAA WAVEWATCH III® wave model suite to new GFS atmospheric model resolution of T382.

2004

November 3, 2004
Data added to AWIPS for output points: 46087, NEWGUINE_S, GYX01, MIA01, MIA02, MLB01, OPCP01 through OPCP13 and OPCA01 through OPCA09.
September 15, 2004
Inclusion of links to grid preprocessor input files, bathymetric grids and obstructions grids via the implementations page in the NOAA WAVEWATCH III® web site.
September 9, 2004
Buoy/output point changes/updates: Buoy 42001 repositioned according to NDBC specifications for redeployment. New output points added: buoy 46087 (Juan de Fuca strait: ENP/NPH), NEWGUINE_S (South of New Guinea: GLOBAL), GYX01 (Portland/Gray, ME: WNA/NAH).
September 9, 2004
Forecast range of hurricane-generated wave models (NAH and NPH) extended to 126h. Affects field outputs on web only and point outputs on web and AWIPS.
September 1, 2004
Blending package in NAH and NPH hurricane-generated wave models upgraded to improve/correct blending of multiple simultaneous GFDL model runs to GFS winds.
July 13, 2004
Forecast range of model data available on AWIPS extended to 180h. All models except hurricane-generated wave models NAH and NPH.
June 21, 2004
Web-browser access to point output bulletins changed from ftp to http protocol on text and tabular data interfaces.
June 8, 2004
Buoy 44141 repositioned according to Environment Canada specifications for redeployment.
June 1, 2004
Changes to hurricane-generated wave models (NAH and NPH): refraction time step reduced from 3600 to 1800 sec (corrects numerical noise in nearshore areas); averaging parameter for aleviation of garden sprinkler effect increased from 2.0 to 4.0.
April 28, 2004
Adding output points MIA01, MIA02, MLB01 and JAX02 to WNA and NAH models.
April 28, 2004
Adding 13 output points OPCP01 through OPCP13 to ENP and NPH models.
April 28, 2004
Adding 9 output points OPCA01 through OPCA09 to WNA and NAH models.
March 12, 2004
Implementation of new look onto NOAA WAVEWATCH III® web site.
March 2, 2004
adding data assimilation of buoy and ERS2 altimeter data into global model.
March 2, 2004
Extending forecast horizon of NOAA WAVEWATCH III®, AKW WNA and ENP models to 180h. (March 10, 2004: on web site)
Feb. 24, 2004
Adding buoy 46086 to ENP and NPH models. Adding buoys 42041 and 41013 and output points EYW01 and EYW02 to WNA and NAH models. (Web site only.)

2003

Sep. 22, 2003
Placed WNA and NAH data for 44018 , BOX01 and CAR01 back on AWIPS. These data points had accidentally been dropped from AWIPS on July 29. The data were available on the web site for this period.
Aug. 12, 2003
Operational implementation of NPH model. NPH data has been added to the operational web page on Aug. 13, and is scheduled for removal from the experimental page in the middle of September.
July 29, 2003
Replacing defunct station DSLN7 with its NDBC replacement 41025 in WNA and NAH models (web and AWIPS). Adding buoy 46015 to ENP model (web site only).
July 8, 2003
Adding output point 62001 to global model (web only)
June 10, 2003
Add point SGX01 to ENP model, replacing old SAN_DIEGO point from global model.
May 12, 2003
Making four cycles per day official by adding 06z and 18z product generation to SBN data stream. Extending forecast horizon of all models except NAH to 7 days. Removing temporary output points at west coast from global model (SAN_DIEGO, SM_BASIN, CONCEPTION, SAN_MARTIN, MONTEREY, PT_REYES, PT_ARENA, MENDOCINO, BLANCO, COLUMBIA and FLATTERY). All these output points are superseded by NDBC buoy locations resolved by the ENP model. Adding SBN GRIB transmission for ENP model. Updating SBN headers for bulletins in AWIPS. Removing typographical error from bulletins.
April 29, 2003
Reopen experimental pages with NPH model and global model with data assimilation.
Feb. 18, 2003
Add new NDBC buoy location 46080 and 46082 to AKW and ENP models. Add point CAR01 to NAH and WNA models (web site only as of Feb. 19).

2002

Nov. 20, 2002
Replace WFO output point OKX01 with new NDBC buoy location 44017. Buoy 44017 will replace OKX01 on AWIPS directly, using the same header.
Oct. 29, 2002
Upgrade of atmospheric model to higher resolution of T254L64. This system is now called the Global Forecast System or GFS.
Oct. 8, 2002
Adding buoy 44018 and point BOX01 to WNA and NAH model. Adding point HNL12 to ENP model. Adding points MIDWAY, FF_SHOALS, JOHNSTON, NAURU, TARAWA, FUNAFUTI, NUKUNONO, PAPEETE, RAROTONGA, NIUE, TONGATAPU, NADI, PORT_VILA and NOUMEA to NOAA WAVEWATCH III® model. Position of buoy 42002 updated in NOAA WAVEWATCH III®, WNA and NAH models.
Sept. 25 through Oct. 7, 2002
Updating historical data with results of WAVEWATCH III version 2.22. Adding ENP model to historical data site.
Sept. 24, 2002
Going to running the model four times per day (00z, 06z, 12z and 18z cycles). Hindcasts in text products and maps now only go back 6 hours previous to hindcast. GRIB output interval remains at 3 hours.
Aug. 13, 2002
Changing to WAVEWATCH III version 2.22 for all models and extendig ENP domain to 60.5°N, with following changes to output points:

Point JAX01 in the WNA and NAH model replaced by NDBC buoy 41012 (same AWIPS header). Point 46003 in NOAA WAVEWATCH III® and AKW model removed (replacement point 46066 introduced earlier). Point OAHU in NOAA WAVEWATCH III® removed (replaced by HNL points in ENP as introduced earlier). Added buoy 46072 to AKW model and buoy 46084 to AKW and ENP models.

Changed some island output points in Pacific. These points were all centered at non-resolved islands. Because these islands are now treated at a sub-grid level, some output points need to be moved, if the obstruction at the surrounding grid points is notable. These changes are considered to be temporarily, and final changes to the output points will be addressed after further discussion with the regional WFOs.

  • GUAM: Moved to 143.75°E 12.00°N
  • SAIPAN: Moved to 147.50°E 16.00°N
  • PALAU: Moved to 136.25°E 9.00°N
  • CHUUK: Moved to 152.50°E 8.00°N
  • POHNPEI: Moved to 157.50°E 7.00°N
  • MAJURO: Moved to 171.25°E 8.00°N
  • ENEWETAK: Moved to 163.75°E 13.00°N
  • PAGO_PAGO: Moved to 168.75°W 15.00°S

June 26, 2002
Start of display of the model results with the WAVEWATCH III version 2.22 on the experimental page.
June 25, 2002
Restart NAH model with hourly GFDL wind fields and modified blending scheme.
June 25, 2002
Update all AWIPS bulletin headers, including bulletins for locations previously not send .
June 20, 2002
ENP model moved to operational web page. Experimental web page disabled for rebuilding.
April 30, 2002
Operational implementation of ENP model (except for SBN transmissions). Until further notice, this model will remain on the experimental page.
March 19, 2002
Add output point 46066 to NOAA WAVEWATCH III® and AKW to replace 46003.
Feb. 26, 2002
Add TPC output points to NOAA WAVEWATCH III® model, buoy 46083 to AKW model, and TPC output points to WNA/NAH model (web site only).

2001

Oct. 30, 2001
Modified array sizes in several executables and added output of additional boundary data in preparation for internal implementation of ENP model.
Sept. 17, 2001
ENP experimental model made available to public.
Aug. 30, 2001
NAH model completely removed from experimental page, start of testing ENP model on experimental page as inhouse model.
Aug. 30, 2001
OKX01 and CHS01 output points added to WNA and NAH model (web site only).
July 30, 2001
NAH model moved from experimental to operational web pages.
June 20, 2001
Addition of output points JAX01, ILM01 and ILM02 to WNA model and web page. Addition to SBN/AWIPS will follow later.
June 20, 2001
Operational implementation of NAH model. Includes AWIPS GRIB messages,(to be available in AWIPS build 5.2.1). Text bulletins for AWIPS will follow later.
June 5, 2001
Add 72-120h GRIB fields for NOAA WAVEWATCH III®, AKW and WNA model to SBN transmissions (to be available in AWIPS 5.1.2).
May 29, 2001
Add bulletin files of all models to SBN / AWIPS (to be available in AWIPS 5.1.1).
May 24, 2001
North Atlantic Hurricane (NAH) wave model approved for operational implementation.
Feb. 28, 2001
Added selected hurricane model results (NAH) to historical archive.
Feb. 13, 2001
Start producing compressed format bulletins for future inclusion in AWIPS (now internal NCEP use only).
Jan. 10, 2001
Moved output locations 42039 and 42040 in WNA model.

2000

Dec. 28, 2000
Fixed year 2001 rollover bug.
Dec. 5, 2000
Operations shifted from phase 1 IBM RS6000 SP to phase 2 IBM RS6000 SP.
Nov. 1, 2000
Added output point AGULHAS_FA to NOAA WAVEWATCH III® model.
Aug. 22, 2000
CGI version of interactive data page replaced by JavaScript version to reduce work loads on our web server.
Aug. 21, 2000
Experimental hurricane wave model web pages opened to public.
Aug. 20, 2000
Validation pages for AKW and WNA model, and historical data archive added to web pages.
Aug. 8, 2000
Shifted output location 42019 in WNA model from 95.0W to 95.4W after similar change in buoy location after buoy was redeployed by NDBC.
July 31, 2000
Compressed postscript graphics removed from web page (large resource sink, negligible usage).
July 3, 2000
Addition of output points for Puerto Rico in WNA model, and for Brazilian coast in NOAA WAVEWATCH III® model.
May 31, 2000
Extend forecast for all models to 126h, increase time resolution of GRIB files to 3h.
May 10, 2000
Bug fix for re-initializing wave field after prolonged calm (seeding algorithm). Reduction of bottom friction by factor 2 for NOAA WAVEWATCH III® and AKW and by a factor 4 for WNA.
March 31, 2000
Wind field plots added to all views on web page.
March 9, 2000
OSO / SBN data transmision switched from old WAM models to new NOAA WAVEWATCH III® models.
Jan. 28-31, 2000
The old experimental web page has been shut down, and now is fully replaced by the present web page.
Jan. 24, 2000
Spectral resolution of GDAS and AVN wind fields increased to T170.
Jan. 18, 2000
IBM computer on which this model has been running accepted for operational use.

1999

Dec. 20, 1999
Added several Tropical Pacific output points to the global model, removed error in boundary data transfer to regional models.
Sep. 27 - Oct. 26 1999
No model results and/or validation results available . All models are temporarily shut down due to physical move of computer to new facility.
Aug. 18, 1999
Western North Atlantic (WNA) regional model approved for operational implementation.
Aug. 9, 1999
Present web pages made available to public.
June 1999
Global and regional wave models (AKW, WNA) internally implemented on the IBM RS6000 SP.
May 23, 1999
Alaskan Waters (AKW) regional model approved for operational implementation.

1998

July 1, 1998
Global model approved for operational implementation on new class VIII computer system.

1997

Jan. 27, 1997
Start of continuous forecasts with parallel version of the global model. Validation results for the global model are available from this date.

Notes

Changes implemented at 12z cycles

NCO: NCEP Central Operations