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Disclaimer: These model results provide a scientific prediction of existing and future conditions. As with any forecast, however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed and caution is advised. While considerable effort has been made to implement all data components in a thorough, correct, and accurate manner, numerous sources of error are possible. The data are provided free of charge without warranty of any kind.

Disclaimer: These data were generated as part of an academic research project. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed and caution is advised. While considerable effort has been made to implement all data components in a thorough, correct, and accurate manner, numerous sources of error are possible. The data are provided free of charge without warranty of any kind.

PacIOOS provides a 14-day, hourly wave forecast for the region surrounding the Republic of Palau using the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model. The computation utilizes spatial resolution ranging from 3,000 m in the open ocean to 50 m at the shore, with model results interpolated to a 275-m grid for display and archive. Forecasts are updated daily and typically become available online around 8:30 AM Palau Time (UTC+9). This high-resolution model captures key coastal wave processes such as refraction, shoaling, breaking, and shadowing to provide a general indication of the nearshore environment.

SWAN (http://swanmodel.sourceforge.net) is an open-source wave model developed by Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Boundary conditions are derived from global and regional WaveWatch III models operated by PacIOOS. Global wind forcing and polar ice coverage are provided by NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS), while astronomical tide levels are defined using the Oregon State University Tidal Prediction Software (OTPS) to modulate wave transmission into reef lagoons. Model runs are configured and produced by Dr. Ning Li, in consultation with Dr. Kwok Fai Cheung, both from the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering (ORE) within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.