The WAM Wave Model is the third-generation Wave Action Model, the most significant 'competitor', and predecessor, to WaveWatchIII. The results we show are taken from the global wave system run by Météo-France, MFWAM. MFWAM uses the computing code ECWAM-IFS-38R2 with a dissipation terms developed by Ardhuin et al. (2010). The model MFWAM was upgraded in November 2014 thanks to improvements obtained from the european research project « my wave » (Janssen et al. 2014). The model mean bathymetry is generated by using 2-minute gridded global topography data ETOPO2/NOAA. Native model grid is irregular with decreasing distance in the latitudinal direction close to the poles. At the equator the distance in the latitudinal direction is more or less fixed with grid size 1/10°. The operational model MFWAM is driven by 6-hourly analysis and 3-hourly forecasted winds from the IFS-ECMWF atmospheric system. The wave spectrum is discretized in 24 directions and 30 frequencies starting from 0.035 Hz to 0.58 Hz. The model MFWAM uses the assimilation of satellite altimeter wave data with a time step of 6 hours. The global wave system provides analysis 4 times a day, and three-hourly forecasts out to 10 days.

Warning - Forecasting wave heights within 1.5 foot (0.45 m) of the actual wave height, as recorded by a wave buoy, is typically excellent to very good out to 3 days, fair to middling from 3 - 7 days, poor from 7 - 10 days, and statistical noise for forecasts longer than 10 days. This holds for any and all wave models you may be looking at, no matter how fancy the presentation. We provide long-range forecasts with this in mind, Caveat Emptor. To confirm this, a comparison of GFS and WAM wave forecasts compared to NDBC wave buoy data can be reviewed at Wave Model Validation