Three‐dimensional structure of storm‐generated currents

Previous studies of wind-driven currents have naturally concentrated on the prediction of destructive storm surges. However, the present and planned construction of large facilities in offshore waters makes study of the currents themselves equally important. Here we show that it is possible to model three-dimensional time-dependent currents by numerical integration over a two-dimensional grid followed by an evaluation of convolution integrals over the sea slope and wind stress. Solutions for idealized cases are compared with analytical results, and a study of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico is presented.