Near-Real Time Ocean Surface Currents Around Hawaii

Hourly surface ocean velocity maps are produced from HF-Radar radial velocity measurements on a 6 km resolution grid covering Hawaii. The data represents currents in the upper 0.3 to 2.5 meters of the ocean, processed through the U.S. HF-Radar Network for near-real-time availability.

Use Cases

• Model ocean circulation patterns around the Hawaiian Islands using the 6 km resolution velocity grid.
• Validate regional hydrodynamic models with near-real-time surface current data from the HF-Radar Network.
• Analyze temporal variability in surface currents using the hourly processed velocity maps.
• Assimilate near-real-time velocity estimates into short-term ocean forecasting systems for the Central Pacific.

Strengths

• Data is processed hourly for near-real-time availability, updated as recently as December 2023.
• Spatial resolution is specified as a 6 km grid, providing detail for regional analysis around Hawaii.
• Velocity data is derived from the authoritative U.S. HF-Radar Network using active remote sensing.

Limitations

• The data represents only the surface layer (upper 0.3-2.5 meters) of the ocean, not deeper currents.
• Spatial coverage is limited to the HF-Radar coverage area around the Hawaiian Islands.
• The specific data volume (row count) and internal data structure (columns) are not documented.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Radial velocity measurements from individual U.S. HF-Radar Network sites are processed via unweighted least-squares onto a grid.

Time Range

Near-real-time, hourly processing.

Freshness

Updated hourly for near-real-time processing; metadata last updated December 2023.

Geography

Hawaiian Islands, Central Pacific Ocean, covering areas including Hilo, Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Honolulu.