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Project Number 580
Date of Summary October 13, 2006
Subject Hindcast Data on Winds, Waves and Currents in Northern Gulf of Mexico in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005)
Performing Activity Oceanweather Inc.
Principal Investigator Dr. Vince Cardone
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Estimated Completion Completed October 2006
Description The objective of the study is to develop a database of wind, sea state and currents resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita meteorological data and application of advanced hindcast models. Oceanweather Inc. (OWI) responded to urgent industry needs for a preliminary assessment of the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by performing and distributing to several offshore operators an “emergency response (ER)" wind and wave hindcast. As part of this MMS funded study, OWI made that same data immediately available to MMS contracted researchers providing Hurricane Katrina/Rita research plus deliver a second and more in-depth hindcast data analysis (referred to as "fast response (FR)") that resulted from this new study. The FR hindcast differs from the ER hindcast in the following ways: (1) it utilized a larger base of measured wind, wave, surge and current data, (2) it included a more detailed analysis of the wind field; (3) particular attention was be paid to provision of much higher resolution in shallow water and to the inclusion of the storm perturbed water level in the shallow water wave hindcast; and (4) more robust 1D and 2D current models will be adopted.
Progress OWI provided both ER and FR data to MMS Hurricanes Katrina and Rita contractors.  Although the final report is available to the public (below), the FR hindcast data itself must remain proprietary under contract until October 12, 2011, at which time MMS will advertise, via this website, the availability of the FR hindcast data.  Should the reader have need for hindcast data prior to October 12, 2011, that data may be made available for a fee by contacting Oceanweather, Inc.

Reports
AA (174 pages) pdf Hindcast Data on Winds, Waves, and Currents in Northern Gulf of Mexico in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, September 2006, Final Report by Oceanweather Inc., Cos Cob, CT.

 

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Last Updated: 04/15/2008, 06:23 AM