Spatial and Temporal Variability of Significant Wave Height and Wave Direction in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Oceanic wind waves have been recognized as one of the important indicators of global warming and climate change. It is necessary to study the spatial and temporal variability of significant wave height (SWH) and wave direction in the Yellow Sea and a part of the East China Sea, which is directly affected by the East Asian monsoon and climate change. In this study, the spatial and temporal variability including seasonal and interannual variability of SWH and wave direction in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea were analyzed using European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis 5 (ERA5) data. Prior to analyzing the variability of SWH and wave direction using the model reanalysis, the accuracy was verified through comparison with SWH and wave direction measurements from Ieodo Ocean Science Station (I-ORS). The mean SWH ranged from 0.3 to 1.6 m, and was higher in the south than in the north and higher in the center of the Yellow Sea than in the coast. The standard deviation of the SWH also showed a pattern similar to the mean. In the Yellow Sea, SWH and wave direction showed clear seasonal variability. SWH was generally highest in winter and lowest in late spring or early summer. Due to the influence of the monsoon, the wave direction propagated mainly to the south in winter and to the north in summer. The seasonal variability of SWH showed predominant interannual variability with strong variability of annual amplitudes due to the influence of typhoons in summer.