The Bakar Bay seiches and their relationship with atmospheric processes

Large-amplitude seiches (up to 40 cm) were recorded at a tide-gauge inside Bakar Bay from 19–21 August 2006. They were analysed using available tide-gauge and meteorological (air pressure and wind, vertical sounding) data. Sea level and air pressure spectra showed simultaneous increases of energy in the periods in which the seiches of both Bakar Bay (about 20 min) and Rijeka Bay (ca. 2 h) occurred. The propagation speed and direction as well as the horizontal span of the four pronounced pressure disturbances, favourable for coupling with Rijeka Bay waters via the Proudman resonance, were determined. It is argued that only short atmospheric pressure disturbances may generate significant barotropic sea waves in a small basin such as Rijeka Bay; once generated they are amplified when hitting Bakar Bay due to the harbour resonance. Furthermore, examination of the synoptic situation and upper-air soundings revealed the presence of dynamically unstable layer at a height of around 2000 m which was also the height of temperature inversion that developed as a consequence of an advection of warm African air from the south-east. During the afternoon hours of 19 August 2006 wind speed in this layer was close to the estimated speed of propagation of the air pressure disturbances which, together with dynamical instability, made conditions favourable for long distance propagation and trapping of atmospheric gravity waves.