Wave Regime and Wave‐Current Coupling in an Upwelling–Driven Bay: Seasonal and Inter‐Annual Variability

Data from an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), a wave-gauge, met-ocean buoy and model results provide new insights into the wave regime in partially sheltered upwelling-driven bay, Ría de Vigo (NW Iberia), adjacent continental shelf June 2013 to August 2014. Swell on NW-Iberian comes mainly NW directions, while wind sea under upwelling conditions, SW downwelling conditions. As ria is protected exposed SW, swell almost always attenuated when entering height inside depends mostly variability. During season, barely enter heights are small (0.21 m). directly enters ria, contributing more total which achieves its maximum values (0.46 There cumulative action of currents (wave coupling, WCC) that stronger during season. The WCC entails increase seabed energy could reinforce bottom remineralization. inter-annual variability (2009–2016) winter associated with combined role played by North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) West Europe Pressure Anomaly (WEPA) indices. highest waves strongest occur coincidence negative NAO positive WEPA phases can have potentially relevant repercussions ecosystem services ria.