Ocean surface waves affect the exchange of momentum and energy between the ocean and the atmosphere. However, the impact on tropical cyclone intensity and structure in fully coupled numerical models has not been well-understood. This study used a regional atmosphere-ocean-wave coupled model to study the wave impacts. Simulations of 21 real tropical cyclones were conducted. It was found that ocean surface waves play an important role enhancing the low-level inflow that leads to more momentum transport into the core and stronger updrafts near the eyewall region leading to intensification. This reduces the low bias of the intensity forecasts in the model.
The paper can be found at https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JC019015. For more information, contact aoml.communications@noaa.gov. Jun Zhang acknowledges support from the U.S. Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-20-1-2071, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grants NA21OAR4590370, NA220OAR4590174, and NA22OAR4590178.