Wind wave statistics in Tallinn Bay

The wind wave regime of Tallinn Bay, Gulf of Finland, is analysed with the use of a simplified method of long-term computations of wave fields based on a high-resolution nested WAM model and Kalbådagrund (1991–2000) wind data. The distributions of probabilities for wave heights, annual and seasonal mean wave heights, density of wave energy and its flux (wave power), and 1-year return wave heights as well as the wave field properties in extreme storms are computed. The mainland and surrounding islands together with numerous shallow areas shelter the bay from waves coming from the dominating strong wind directions. The average wave properties exhibit a significant seasonal and spatial variability. The highest waves occur in the vicinity of the Tallinn–Helsinki ship lane where the significant wave height exceeds 2 m each year and may reach 4 m in extreme NNW storms.