Historical changes in the Davis Strait Baffin Bay surface winds and waves, 1979-2016
AbstractThis study presents and analyzes Environment Canada’s Davis Strait Baffin Bay (EC-DSBB) Wind and Wave Reanalysis for the period 1979-2016, to characterize the historical changes in the surface wind speed and ocean surface waves. The trend analysis is carried out only for the months of May-December, when there is a significant ice-free sea area. The results show that 10-meter wind speed (Ws) has increased significantly in most area of the domain in September-December, with some significant decreases over the open water area in June and July. The Ws increases are most extensive in September, with significant increases in both the mean and extremes. It is also shown that the mean wind direction (Wd) has a distinctive seasonal variation, being mainly north- and northwest-ward in June-August, and predominantly south- and southeast-ward in May and September-December. The most notable changes in Wd are seen in June. The results also show that significant wave height (Hs) and wave power (Wp) have significantly increased in September-December and decreased in June. For example, the September regional mean Hs has increased at a rate of 0.4%/year. In September-December, the local Ws increases seem to be the main driver for the Hs and Wp increases, but such southeast-ward direction is favored by increasing fetch as sea ice retreats. In September and December, the positive trend in both Ws and Hs has intensified in the 2001-2016. In June, however, the mean Wd and the changes therein also play an important role in the Hs changes, which are more affected by remotely generated waves.