Author(s)

Carlos R. Torres-Navarrete

Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Centro Nacional de Datos Oceanográficos, Ensenada, México.

In this study, the momentum equations describing an atmospheric flow over a NW Pacific region of Mexico are solved numerically. In order to capture the complex flow-topography interactions with detail, a combination of a numerical wind model in full 3D curvilinear coordinates, along with a high resolution boundary-fitted grid is used. Boundary conditions were obtained from ten years (2002-2012) of measured offshore wind data. Prevailing winds from April to September during that period of observations were selected for the simulations. For the cases analyzed, it was found that at the points of the study region (PSS, PSM, PM), wind speed increased about 10% to 20% of its offshore values, while inland they decreased about 86% to 96%. This spatial behavior agreed very well with the observed local winds. A coastal jet (CJ), 35 km long with speeds about 1.5 - 2 m/s, emanating from PSS was found for NNW winds. Modeled winds were also used to compute wind stresses, wind stress curl, and CUI fields. Wind stress values agreed very well to those reported in the literature. High values of wind stress curl, and CUI were found at the lee of the points (PSS, PSM, PM). Indirect estimations of sea surface currents were about 15 - 20 cm/s offshore and 5 - 10 cm/s at the coast.

Boundary-Fitted Grids, Upwelling Index, Wind Modelling

Torres-Navarrete, C. (2017) Modelling Three-Dimensional Winds on a NW Pacific Region of Mexico Using Boundary-Fitted Grids. Open Journal of Marine Science, 7, 109-123. doi: 10.4236/ojms.2017.71009.