The influence of domain size on the response characteristics of a hurricane storm surge model

The influence of domain size on boundary condition specification and on computed storm surge response is investigated. Storm surge response along the Florida shelf in the Gulf of Mexico dur to Hurricane Kate is examined over three domains using two different open ocean boundary forcing functions, a still water (or zero elevation) condition and an inverted barometer condition which accounts for the atmospheric pressure component of the meteorological forcing. The first domain is relatively small and is situated primarily on the continental shelf in the region of intense storm surge generation