Future Wind and Wave Projections for US-Affiliated Pacific Islands

Completion date September 30, 2014
(Credit: Curt Storlazzi, USGS)
(Credit: Curt Storlazzi, USGS)

Location: Pacific Region

How will the wave and wind patterns change in the Pacific?

Using global climate projections to drive models of ocean wave generation, this study generates current and future “wave climates” for the recent past and this century under two climate scenarios. The models provide averages and extremes of wind and wave conditions for 25 locations in the Pacific. These data offer a baseline of physical information for US-affiliated islands, as winds and waves are the dominant processes that influence coastal morphology and ecosystem structure, and can impact coastal infrastructure, coastal cultural sites and uses, and coastal-related economic activities such as fishing and tourism.

Project partners:

Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey