Wind-wave hindcast in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea from the year 1988 to 2002

We performed long-term wind-wave hindcast in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea from the year 1988 to 2002, and then analyzed the regional wave climate. Comparisons between model results and satellite data are generally consistent on monthly mean significant wave height. Then we discuss the temporal and spatial characteristics of the climatological monthly mean significant wave heights and mean wave periods. The climatologically spatial patterns are observed as increasing from northwest to southeast and from offshore to deep-water area for both significant wave height and mean wave period, and the patterns are highly related to the wind forcing and local topography. Seasonal variations of wave parameters are also significant. Furthermore, we compute the extreme values of wind and significant wave height using statistical methods. Results reveal the spatial patterns of N-year return significant wave height in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, and we discuss the relationship between extreme values of significant wave height and wind forcing.