Historical wave data for NE Atlantic, Holderness, Lyme Bay and Carmarthen Bay

Sea level; Wave direction; Other meteorological measurements; Spectral wave data parameters; Wave height and period statistics; Bathymetry and Elevation

Radar altimeters; wave recorders

The aim of the JERICHO project was to provide improved information on coastal wave climate and inter-annual variability essential to the planning of Britain's coastal defences and to make progress towards developing a predictive capability of long-term trends. Analysis of wave data from ships and buoys has shown that winter wave heights in the North East Atlantic increased by over 50% between the 1960s and 1980s. More recent analyses of satellite data confirmed that this increase continued into the early 1990s and found a link with the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (the anomaly in the pressure gradient between Lisbon and Iceland). JERICHO aimed to develop techniques, combining satellite data and models, to investigate the impact at the UK coast of a changing offshore wave climate. Satellite and in situ data were used together with coastal wave models to project measurements and predictions of offshore variability to the UK coast at three locations. These JERICHO test sites were: Holderness (East Yorkshire), Lyme Bay (Dorset) and Carmarthen Bay (S. W. Wales). Satellite data were used to identify large scale patterns of variability and to derive boundary conditions for the wave models. In situ data were used to verify the satellite measurements and to provide additional wave information. Coastal wave models were used to provide estimates of wave conditions close to the coastline. Various future scenarios were also modelled to investigate the consequences of possible future changes in storminess and sea level. The Environment Agency was the customer for JERICHO, it wished to develop its long term strategy for the protection of the English and Welsh coastline. The Proudman Laboratory, and Halcrow Maritime provided expertise in shallow water wave modelling. Southampton Oceanography Centre undertook analyses of large scale wave climate variability and provided computing support, and Satellite Observing Systems were project managers and carried out analyses of satellite and in situ data. JERICHO was supported by the British National Space Centre under the Earth Observation LINK programme

Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory
Joseph Proudman Building 6 Brownlow Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L3 5DA
United Kingdom