Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting

On 25 August 2005, three waterspouts were observed close to the research platform FINO1, 45 km off the German North Sea coast and situated in a prospected large offshore wind park area. We analyse this case in relation to the synoptic setting of a waterspout day over the Baltic Sea and compare it to...

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Main Authors: Nikolai Dotzek, Stefan Emeis, Christiana Lefebvre, Jürgen Gerpott
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Borntraeger 2010-02-01
Series:Meteorologische Zeitschrift
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0422
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author Nikolai Dotzek
Stefan Emeis
Christiana Lefebvre
Jürgen Gerpott
author_facet Nikolai Dotzek
Stefan Emeis
Christiana Lefebvre
Jürgen Gerpott
author_sort Nikolai Dotzek
collection DOAJ
description On 25 August 2005, three waterspouts were observed close to the research platform FINO1, 45 km off the German North Sea coast and situated in a prospected large offshore wind park area. We analyse this case in relation to the synoptic setting of a waterspout day over the Baltic Sea and compare it to the waterspout climatology of the German Bight and the western and south-western parts of the Baltic Sea. The waterspout hazard to offshore wind parks is assessed as about 1 waterspout per year and per 10 000 km2. So, should current scenarios for future wind park development materialise, their large total area may experience a waterspout every other year. The prediction of such events is investigated in view of concepts recently proposed for Mediterranean and western North Sea waterspout forecasting. Reporting issues influencing the climatology encompass both a weekend low in reported events, as well as a bias toward ship routes and main SYNOP times in ship reports. The latter may be mitigated by more reports from yachtsmen.
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spelling doaj.art-afc158d23ace4279bf7208e2d36093042024-02-02T14:44:33ZengBorntraegerMeteorologische Zeitschrift0941-29482010-02-0119111512910.1127/0941-2948/2010/042274830Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reportingNikolai DotzekStefan EmeisChristiana LefebvreJürgen GerpottOn 25 August 2005, three waterspouts were observed close to the research platform FINO1, 45 km off the German North Sea coast and situated in a prospected large offshore wind park area. We analyse this case in relation to the synoptic setting of a waterspout day over the Baltic Sea and compare it to the waterspout climatology of the German Bight and the western and south-western parts of the Baltic Sea. The waterspout hazard to offshore wind parks is assessed as about 1 waterspout per year and per 10 000 km2. So, should current scenarios for future wind park development materialise, their large total area may experience a waterspout every other year. The prediction of such events is investigated in view of concepts recently proposed for Mediterranean and western North Sea waterspout forecasting. Reporting issues influencing the climatology encompass both a weekend low in reported events, as well as a bias toward ship routes and main SYNOP times in ship reports. The latter may be mitigated by more reports from yachtsmen.http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0422
spellingShingle Nikolai Dotzek
Stefan Emeis
Christiana Lefebvre
Jürgen Gerpott
Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting
Meteorologische Zeitschrift
title Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting
title_full Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting
title_fullStr Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting
title_full_unstemmed Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting
title_short Waterspouts over the North and Baltic Seas: Observations and climatology, prediction and reporting
title_sort waterspouts over the north and baltic seas observations and climatology prediction and reporting
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0422
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AT christianalefebvre waterspoutsoverthenorthandbalticseasobservationsandclimatologypredictionandreporting
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