The map represents a snapshot of surface wave conditions around Australia.

The background wavefield (significant wave height and peak wave direction) is extracted from the analysis timestep t0 of BoM's AUSWAVE-R model. This wavefield is generated at 2-hourly analysis timesteps of the AUSWAVE-R model. The small black arrows represent peak wave direction.

Wave observations from various sources centred around t0 are also displayed on the map when available. These observations are:

• Wave measurements from Australia's coastal wave buoy network at t0 +/- 3 hrs, extracted from AODN's near real time feed of the national waverider buoys observations.
• Significant wave height measurements from available radar Altimeters (Jason-3, SARAL, Sentinel-3a, and Sentinel-3b), displayed along satellite nadir tracks at t0 +/- 3 hr. Applied corrections for j3, sa, 3a, and 3b are described here .
• Peak wave direction and mean wave period, extracted from Sentinel-1 A and B Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) wave spectra observations acquired along-track at t0 +/- 3 hr. SAR wave spectra have the wind-sea (or shorter waves) part truncated mostly in along-track direction and can only capture energy from longer swell systems in this direction. Therefore, peak wave direction and mean wave period from SAR should be viewed with the above limitation in mind.

The significant wave height is the average height of the highest third of the waves. Maximum wave heights of twice the significant wave height can be expected about three times in 24 hours.

Legend

Wave buoy: circle near Australian coastline at location of wave buoy displaying measurement in the window t0 +/- 3 hrs. The colour shown inside the circles (colourbar) represents significant wave height (SWH). The wedge in the middle indicates wave direction, with the wave coming from the broad side of wedge. The wedge thickness represents directional spread, and its colour (white, grey, black) represents three regimes of mean wave period in sec (T_z ≤ 8, 8 < T_z ≤ 12, T_z > 12, respectively). An empty circle with a dot in the middle represents absent or suspect data. Data are classed as suspect if SWH is greater than twice the maximum wave height.

Altimeter pass: two parallel lines (along satellite track) with small pink dots in the centre represent satellite altimeter passes in the window t0 +/- 3 hr. The colour within the lines indicates corrected altimeter SWH.

SAR pass: a circle filled with white, grey, or black colour represents SAR mean wave period (T_z) regimes of T_z ≤ 8, 8 < T_z ≤ 12, T_z > 12, respectively. The arrow connected to the circle represents the peak wave direction.

Data sources

1. BOM's AUSWAVE analysis 0000 timestep

2. Radar Altimeter Database System (RADS)

3. Sentinel-1 A and B wave mode data

4. Waverider near real-time buoy observations (Australia). The links to the near real time wave data for the buoys shown in the map are listed in the table below.

Site	Custodian	URL
Goodrich Banks	BoM	http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDD65028.shtml
Cape Sorell	BoM	http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDT65014.shtml
Cape du Couedic	BoM	http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDS65030.shtml
Maria Island	BoM	http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDT65091.shtml
Batemans Bay	MHL	https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-BATBOW
Byron Bay	MHL	https://www.mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-BYRBOW
Coffs Harbour	MHL	https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-COFHOW
Crowdy Head	MHL	https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-CRHDOW
Eden	MHL	https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-EDENOW
Port Kembla	MHL	https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-PTKMOW
Sydney	MHL	https://mhl.nsw.gov.au/Station-SYDDOW
Albatross Bay	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/albatross-bay
North Moreton Bay	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/north-moreton-bay
Cairns	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/cairns
Townsville	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/townsville
Mooloolaba	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/mooloolaba
Hay Point	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/hay-point
Emu Park	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/emu-park
Gold Coast	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/gold-coast
Tweed Heads	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/tweed-heads
Gladstone	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/gladstone
Caloundra	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/caloundra
Bundaberg	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/bundaberg
Brisbane Offshore	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/brisbaneoffshore
Tweed Offshore	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/tweed-offshore
Palm Beach	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/palm-beach
Brisbane	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/brisbane
Skardon River Offshore	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/skardon-offshore
Skardon River Outer	QLD Govt.	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/skardon-river-outer
Lakes Entrance	Gippsland Ports	https://www.gippslandports.vic.gov.au/boating/waves-tides-and-weather/lakes-entrance-waves-tides-and-weather/
Jurien	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/jurien-bay-wave-data.asp
Rottnest Island	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/rottnest-island-wave-data.asp
Cape Naturaliste	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/naturaliste-wave-data.asp
Cottesloe	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/cottesloe-wave-data.asp
Esperance	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/esperance-wave-data.asp
Albany	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/albany-wave-data.asp
Mandurah	DoT, WA	https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/mandurah-wave-data.asp
Mackay	DES,QLD	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/mackay
Albatross Bay	DES,QLD	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/albatross-bay
Wide Bay	DES,QLD	https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/wide-bay
Inverloch	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Inverloch Inshore	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Apollo Bay	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Cape Bridgewater	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Central	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Werribee	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Dutton Way	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au, refer to 'Portland'
Indented Head	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Mt Eliza	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Port Fairy	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Rosebud	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Sandringham	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Wilsons Prom	Deakin Univ.	https://vicwaves.com.au
Bengello	DPE, NSW	https://live.seed.nsw.gov.au
Boambee	DPE, NSW	https://live.seed.nsw.gov.au
Broulee	DPE, NSW	https://live.seed.nsw.gov.au
Collaroy	DPE, NSW	https://live.seed.nsw.gov.au
Merimbula	DPE, NSW	https://live.seed.nsw.gov.au
Wooli	DPE, NSW	https://live.seed.nsw.gov.au
Dampier	Pilbara Ports Authority	https://www.pilbaraports.com.au/ports/port-of-dampier
Port Headland	Pilbara Ports Authority	https://www.pilbaraports.com.au/ports/port-of-port-headland
Ashburton	Pilbara Ports Authority	https://www.pilbaraports.com.au/ports/port-of-ashburton
Torbay West	Univ. of WA	https://wawaves.org/
King George Sound	Uni. of WA	https://wawaves.org/

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