Offshore wave conditions

Waves measurements are routinely provided within Monterey Bay. Directional wave spectra are measured by a Wave-Rider buoy located 40 km offshore outside the bay (see left panel Fig 1). The directional wave spectra are refracted shoreward providing waves throughout the bay every 4 hours (funded by the U.S. Army and State of California). Additionally, directional wave spectra are measured with a second Wave-Rider buoy located in 18 m depth, 0.5 km offshore (right panel, Fig 1) and provided every 30 minutes (funded by the Naval Postgraduate School).

Fig. 1 Left panel: Directional wave spectrum measured on at buoy 46042, 40 km offshore, refracted into Monterey Bay. The measurement site at Sand City is indicated. Right panel: Local wave climate measured with the NPS directional wave buoy 0.5 km offshore. It is noted the mean wave direction is constant and perpendicular to shore owing to severe wave refraction over the Monterey Bay Canyon and protection by the headland, even though the deepwater wave direction varied considerably during the observations shown.