Wave heights

Wave heights forecasting are very important for a number of applications, including navigation and fishing, but also operations on platforms, etc. Those forecasts ar based on measurements.
 

 

Orders of magnitude

The higher wave height ever measured by a satellite was about 20 m. Outside extreme events, wave heights are about 3 m, 6 at the most. They are always greater or equal to zero.

Measurement techniques

Satellite measurements

  • " Altimeters
  • Dedicated satellites, working like altimeters but using beams with angles now exists: CFOSat

Models

The marine weather models simulate the wave heights (they are different from the ones forecastin currents, temperature and salinity)