NOAA/NOS Integrated Northern Gulf of Mexico Operational Forecast System

Abstract:

NOAA/National Ocean Service (NOS) recently developed the upgraded northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) operational forecast system (NGOFS2) to integrate the three existing OFS in the region, and extend its model domain to the Mexican border and into the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge. The NGOFS2 model domain spans from Cabo Rojo, Mexico in the southwest to Panama City, FL in the northeast, covering the heavily-trafficked ports along NGoM including 10 of the top 20 U.S. Ports ranked by tonnage, such as Houston New Orleans, and Corpus Christi. It runs four cycles each day and each cycle produces a six-hour nowcast and 48-hour forecast guidance for water levels and three-dimensional currents, water temperature and salinity. The core hydrodynamic model used is the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). The unstructured triangular grid has a spatial resolution ranging from 45 m near the coast to around 10 km on the open ocean boundary, and successfully resolves inlets, navigation channels, and intracoastal waterways. The advantages of NGOFS2 over the previous NGOFS include eliminating numerical errors induced by one-way nesting and reducing wall clock-time of hydrodynamic simulation and post-processing. NGOFS2 outputs support NOS’ Precision Navigation Initiative, search and rescue operations, marine recreation, environmental management, and eco-forecasting efforts. The NGOFS2 will become operational in February, 2021.