Performance of global and regional nested meteorological models

We discuss the performance of two global meteorological models in a difficult enclosed sea area and the possible improvements using two respectively nested high resolution local models. Each of the four sets of wind fields has been used to drive the same wave model. The performances are judged on the base of measured, buoys and satellites, wind and wave data. The analysis shows clearly the general benefits of a higher resolution. However, it also highlights the sensitivity of the nested models to apparently minor changes in the input information from the global models and their consequent possibility of larger errors, particularly in complex meteorological situations.