Extreme High Swell Events on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast

4.0 Case Study 1 » 4.2 Step 1: Assess the Current Atmospheric and Marine Situation » 4.2.4 ASCAT Winds and ECMWF MSLP

Now the ASCAT winds from 5 January at 0918 UTC, 1100 UTC and 1239 UTC are overlaid on the ECMWF MSLP chart from 1200 UTC. There are strong westerly winds of about 40 to 50kt southwest of the depression, and anticyclonic conditions with a low wind velocity on the Moroccan coast.

ECMWF MSLP 5 Jan 12 UTC and ASCAT Winds 5 Jan 2014 at 0918, 1100, and 1239 UTC

Question

Focus on the wind southwest of the low pressure. If it continues blowing for 24 hours, will the situation generate high swell off the coast of Morocco?

The strong northwesterly and westerly winds blowing southwest of the low pressure will generate high waves and swells.

Please make a selection.

On the nomogram, a wind of 40 to 50kt blowing for 24 hours would create waves of 8 to 12m height.

Manual Wave Forecasting Diagram