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Simulating storm surge and compound flooding events with a creek-to-ocean model: Importance of baroclinic effects
Ye, Fei Zhang, Yinglong J. Yu, Haocheng Sun, Weiling Moghimi, Saeed Myers, Edward Nunez, Karinna Zhang, Ruoyin Wang, Harry V. Roland, Aron
Ye, Fei
Zhang, Yinglong J.
Yu, Haocheng
Sun, Weiling
Moghimi, Saeed
Myers, Edward
Nunez, Karinna
Zhang, Ruoyin
Wang, Harry V.
Roland, Aron
Abstract
We present a creek-to-ocean 3D baroclinic model based on unstructured grids that aims to unite traditional hydrologic and ocean models in a single modeling platform, by taking full advantage of the polymorphism (i.e. a single model grid can seamlessly morph between full 3D, 2DV, 2DH and quasi-1D configurations). Using Hurricane Irene (2011)'s impact on the Delaware Bay as an example, a seamless 2D-3D model grid is implemented to include the entire US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico with a highly resolved Delaware Bay (down to 20-m resolution). The model is forced by flows from a hydrological model (National Water Model ) at the landward boundary. We demonstrate the model's accuracy, stability and robustness with the simulation of the storm surge and subsequent river flooding events and compound surges. Through a series of sensitivity tests, we illustrate the importance of including in the simulation the baroclinic effects, as provided by the large-scale Gulf Stream, in order to correctly capture the adjustment process following the main surge and the subsequent compound flooding events. The baroclinicity can explain up to 14% of the elevation error during the adjustment phase after the storm.
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2020-01-01
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CCRM Peer Reviewed Articles
Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles, Storm surge; 3D model; Baroclinicity; SCHISM; National Water Model; Delaware Bay; USA
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Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2019.101526