Modeling Coastally Trapped Wind Surges over Southeastern Australia. Part I: Timing and Speed of Propagation

Abstract During the spring and summer months, the southeast coast of Australia often experiences abrupt southerly wind changes, the leading edge being known locally as a “southerly buster.” The main characteristic of this phenomenon is the sudden shift in wind direction, usually from north or northwesterly to southerly. Associated with this wind surge is a significant temperature drop and sea level pressure rise. A severe southerly buster has wind speeds exceeding gale force (17 m s−1) and poses a threat to human safety. Southerly busters have been the subject of a number of studies over several decades. These have focused on the development and propagation of the wind surge. The aims of this study are quite different, namely, to assess the ability of a real-time, high-resolution, numerical weather prediction (NWP) model to simulate some of the key features of the southerly buster, notably the time of passage and strength at various locations along the southeast coast and at two inland stations. A large n...