The operational ocean wave predictions of NOAA/NWS/NCEP use the wave model WAVEWATCH III using operational NCEP products as input. The model is run four times a day: 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z. Each run starts with 9-, 6- and 3-hour hindcasts and produces forecasts of every 3 hours from the initial time out to 180 hours (84 hours for the Great Lakes).

The wave model suite consists of global and regional nested grids. As background information, a list of selected references and a chronological list of model changes are available.

NOAA WaveWatch home page: http://polar/waves/index2.shtml