Comparison of tropical cyclone wind field models and their influence on estimated wind hazard

Engineering type tropical cyclone (TC) wind field models are used to estimate TC wind hazard. Some of the models are well-calibrated using observation data, while others are not extensively compared and verified. They are all proxies to the real TC wind fields. The computational effort for their use differs. In the present study, a comparison of the predicted wind fields is presented by considering three commonly used models: the gradient wind field model, slab-resolving model, and a linear height-resolving model. These models essentially predict the horizontal wind speed at a different height. The gradient wind field model and linear height-resolving model are simple to use while the nonlinear slab-resolving model is more compute-intensive. A set of factors is estimated and recommended such that the estimated TC wind hazard by using these models becomes more consistent. The use of the models, including the developed set of factors, for estimating TC wind hazard over-water and overland is presented by considering the historical tracks for a few sites. It is shown that the annual maximum TC wind speed can be adequately modelled by the generalized extreme value distribution.