In the analysis of the buoy data the four regions are considered. The two main regions are the Gulf of Mexico and the NW Atlantic. In both regions a distinction is made between the deep ocean buoys that also are used for the global model. All other buoys are gathered in the category ‘coastal buoys‘.
- Bias and random error estimates as a function of
the wind speeds as well as calculated and observed wind
speed distributions from the GDAS for
1999/09 - 1999/11
, 1999/12 - 2000/02
, 2000/03 - 2000/05
, 2000/06 - 2000/08
, 2000/09 - 2000/11
, 2000/12 - 2001/02
, 2001/03 - 2001/05
, 2001/06 - 2001/08
, 2001/09 - 2001/11
, 2001/12 - 2002/02
, 2002/03 - 2002/05
, 2002/06 - 2002/08
or 2002/09 - 2002/11.
- Monthly bias, rms and scatter index (rms error normalized with mean observed wind speed) for the wind speeds used in the WNA hindcast, 24h forecast, 48h forecast, 72h forecast, 96h forecast and 120h forecast
Remarks on the above Figures:
- Note that the wind speed errors for the coastal buoy locations are larger both in absolute and relative sense than those for the deep ocean buoys. Two possible reasons for this are the mixture of over-land and over-sea characteristics in the GDAS and AVN for these points, as well as
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The validation with the satellite data is performed in the same way as for the global model, with two differences. First, the validation is performed with the altimeter data at native resolution. Secondly, it is collocated on a 0.5o resolution grid. Both differences mean that the comparison includes smaller (meso-) scales in the data. Therefore (i), rms differences and scatter indices against this data may be expected to be larger for identical model wind fields, and (ii) the validation plots will generally be less smooth. |