Re: Bill casualties
Posted by
Cape_Fear_NC on 8/23/2009, 5:57 pm
Hi Fred. I think the unusual penetration of the waves is due to their wavelength (periodicity.)
Unlike the violent seas of a coastal nor'easter who's waves are high, steep and fast after each other, Bill generated long wavelength swells (15 to 17 second periods.)
The amount of water, from crest to trough in one of Bill's waves is height for height, a whole lot more than a nor'easter wave. A 12' Bill wave would contain as much water as say, an 18 or 20' nor'easter wave (one can think of long-period swells as tiny tsunamis.) When the Bill wave breaks, there's a vast amount of water behind the break (because the wave trough is 15 to 17 seconds out) - and all of it pushes landwards. It's quite plain to the eye.
The reason it's not worse on the coast is because there's no wind-driven storm tide to go along with it.
This is how I figure it anyway...
Tim in NC
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