Tide-Surge-Wave Interaction in the Taiwan Strait during Typhoons Soudelor (2015) and Dujuan (2015)

Abstract

Typhoons Soudelor (2015) and Dujuan (2015) were two of the strongest storms to affect the Taiwan Strait in 2015. This study investigated the response of the waters on the western bank of the Taiwan Strait to the passage of Soudelor and Dujuan. This included an investigation of the resonant coupling between the tide and storm surge, typhoon wave variation caused by the storm tide, and wave-induced water level rise. Analyses conducted using numerical model simulations and observations from tidal stations and buoys, obtained during the passage of both Soudelor and Dujuan, revealed that resonant coupling between the astronomical tide and storm surge in the Taiwan Strait was prominent, which resulted in tidal period oscillation on the storm surge and reduced tidal range. The tide wave arrived earlier than the predicted astronomical tide because of the existence of the storm surge, which was attributable to acceleration of the tidal wave caused by the water level rise. Wave height observations showed that the storm tide predominantly affected the waves, which resulted in wave heights that oscillated within the tidal period. Numerical experiments indicated that both the current and the water level affected wave height. Waves were affected mainly by the current in the middle of the Taiwan Strait, but mostly by water level when the water level was comparable with water depth. Wave setup simulations revealed that wave setup also oscillated within the tidal period, and that local bathymetry was the most important influencing factor of wave setup distribution.