Long-Term and Seasonal Variability of Wind and Wave Extremes in the Arctic Ocean

Over recent decades, the Arctic Ocean has experienced dramatic variations due to climate change. By retreating at a rate of 13% per decade, sea ice opened up significant areas ocean, enabling wind blow over larger fetches and potentially enhancing wave climate. Considering intense seasonality rapid changes Ocean, non-stationary approach is applied time-varying statistical properties investigate historical trends extreme values. The analysis based on 28-year hindcast (from 1991 2018) that was simulated using WAVEWATCH III model forced by ERA5 winds. Despite marginal increase in speed (up about 5%), results demonstrate substantial seasonal differences robust positive height, especially Beaufort East Siberian seas, with increasing rates areal average 100-year return period 60%. reported height are directly associated more effective forcing emerging open waters drives waves build energy, thus confirming feedback decline