Phenomenal sea states and swell from a north atlantic storm in february 2011: A comprehensive analysis

Phenomenal seas, defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as having a significant wave height larger than 14 m were observed over the North Atlantic Ocean in February 2011. Three intense atmospheric low-pressure systems followed the typical storm track, from the northeastern United States to the ocean area southeast of Greenland during the first half of the month. The ASCAT pass at 12:44 LT confirms this and maps out a stormforce wind envelope similar to that of the NCEP field at 1200 UTC, although it is rotated around the storm center, possibly due to the time difference. Beyond hurricane force, the estimated maximum winds can differ significantly, partly because of the different resolution of the datasets, but the general agreement of all sensors up to hurricane-force winds is remarkable. It shows that information is available to estimate the scales over which Quirin winds reached gale, storm, and hurricane force, given a good knowledge of the sensors' limitations.