Ocean surface wave height in the Atlantic Ocean is strongly influenced by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Here we demonstrate for the first time a skilful seasonal forecast for wave height in the Atlantic Ocean, produced by a seasonal prediction system with an enhanced prediction skill of winter NAO. The improved seasonal prediction skill of the wave height reaches 0.8 in major parts of the North Atlantic. Prediction skill in the Central and South Atlantic is significantly improved due to swell propagation from better represented active wave generation regions in the North Atlantic. By subsampling, the modeling of climatological anomalies of seasonal wave height for strongly positive and negative NAO phases is considerably improved. We demonstrate the potential of an improved, subsampling‐based approach for the dynamical seasonal prediction of waves, specifically for extreme seasons during strong NAO phases, which can be implemented for operational purposes.
Ocean surface wave height in the Atlantic Ocean is strongly influenced by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Here we demonstrate for the first time a skilful seasonal forecast for wave height in the Atlantic Ocean, produced by a seasonal prediction system with an enhanced prediction skill of winter NAO. The improved seasonal prediction skill of the wave height reaches 0.8 in major parts of the North Atlantic. Prediction skill in the Central and South Atlantic is significantly improved due to swell propagation from better represented active wave generation regions in the North Atlantic. By subsampling, the modeling of climatological anomalies of seasonal wave height for strongly positive and negative NAO phases is considerably improved. We demonstrate the potential of an improved, subsampling‐based approach for the dynamical seasonal prediction of waves, specifically for extreme seasons during strong NAO phases, which can be implemented for operational purposes.