Simulation of the Hurricane Dennis storm surge and considerations for vertical resolution |
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Authors: | Dmitry S Dukhovskoy and Steven L Morey |
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Institution: | (1) Florida State University, Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2840, USA |
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Abstract: | A high-resolution storm surge model of Apalachee Bay in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico is developed using an unstructured
grid finite-volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM). The model is applied to the case of Hurricane Dennis (July 2005). This storm
caused underpredicted severe flooding of the Apalachee Bay coastal area and upriver inland communities. Accurate resolution
of complicated geometry of the coastal region and waterways in the model reveals processes responsible for the unanticipated
high storm tide in the area. Model results are validated with available observations of the storm tide. Model experiments
suggest that during Dennis, excessive flooding in the coastal zone and the town of St. Marks, located up the St. Marks River,
was caused by additive effects of coincident high tides (~10–15% of the total sea-level rise) and a propagating shelf wave
(~30%) that added to the locally wind-generated surge. Wave setup, the biggest uncertainty, is estimated on the basis of empirical
and analytical relations. The Dennis case is then used to test the sensitivity of the model solution to vertical discretization.
A suite of model experiments is performed with varying numbers of vertical sigma (σ) levels, with different distribution of
σ-levels within the water column and a varying bottom drag coefficient. The major finding is that the storm surge solution
is more sensitive to resolution within the velocity shear zone at mid-depths compared to resolution of the upper and bottom
layer or values of the bottom drag coefficient. |
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