This dataset includes five depth-attenuated relative wave exposure index layers in raster format. Relative Exposure Index (REI) values are calculated based on effective fetch (derived from fetch values) combined with modelled wind data. The output REI layers are attenuated by depth, resulting in greater values in shallow, nearshore areas (Bekkby et al. 2008). The cell values represent an estimate of wave exposure at bottom depth normalized between regions from 0 (protected) to 1 (exposed). The objective of this dataset is to provide an estimate of wave exposure at bottom depth, primarily for use in species distribution modelling.   Each single-band raster corresponds to a marine region, which generally coincide with the following layers from the Species Distribution Modelling Boundaries (https://www.gis-hub.ca/dataset/sdm-boundaries) dataset: Nearshore_HG, Nearshore_NCC, Nearshore_QCS, Nearshore_QCS, and Shelf_SalishSea. These layers extend to 50 m depth and up to 5 km from shore. Tabular data (csv files) are also included as part of the data package. These data are the calculated Relative Exposure Index (REI) values with fields for position information. The fetch values from gridded nearshore fetch (https://gis-hub.ca/dataset/gridded-nearshore-fetch) are used as a source dataset and the locations in the REI are the same as the gridded fetch.

Fetch is a useful proxy for exposure (an important driver of nearshore species distributions) in the absence of a wind-wave model. We derived the first-ever coast-wide estimates of fetch for Pacific Canadian waters. Fetch was calculated for over 41,720 km of the British Columbia coastline, at 50 m intervals, yielding 811,727 nearshore fetch points. Fetch was calculated for five regions in Pacific Canada: Haida Gwaii (HG), Queen Charlotte Strait (QCS), Strait of Georgia (SOG), West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI), and the North Central Coast (NCC; Prince Rupert to Cape Caution). For all regions, a bearing interval of 5 degrees was used to generate fetch lines for each point along the shoreline, resulting in 72 fetch lines per point. A maximum fetch distance of 200 km was used to ensure the barrier effect of Haida Gwaii was captured. Supplementary information provided includes the fetch geometry calculator script and user guide (Gregr 2014) and a report on the fetch processing objectives, process, and results (Gregr 2015).

The Regional Deterministic Wave Prediction System (RDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 48 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds from the High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS). Over the Great Lakes, an ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to attenuate or suppress wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice, respectively. Over the ocean, an ice forecast from the Regional Ice Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) is used: in the Northeast Pacific, waves propagate freely for ice concentrations below 50%, above this threshold there is no propagation; in the Northwest Atlantic the same logic is used as in the Great Lakes. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period, partitioned parameters and others. This system includes several domains: Lake Superior, Lake Huron-Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Atlantic North-West and Pacific North-East.

The Regional Deterministic Wave Prediction System (RDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 48 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds from the High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS). Over the Great Lakes, an ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to attenuate or suppress wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice, respectively. Over the ocean, an ice forecast from the Regional Ice Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) is used: in the Northeast Pacific, waves propagate freely for ice concentrations below 50%, above this threshold there is no propagation; in the Northwest Atlantic the same logic is used as in the Great Lakes. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period, partitioned parameters and others. This system includes several domains: Lake Superior, Lake Huron-Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Atlantic North-West and Pacific North-East.

The Regional Deterministic Wave Prediction System (RDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 48 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds from the High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS). Over the Great Lakes, an ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to attenuate or suppress wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice, respectively. Over the ocean, an ice forecast from the Regional Ice Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) is used: in the Northeast Pacific, waves propagate freely for ice concentrations below 50%, above this threshold there is no propagation; in the Northwest Atlantic the same logic is used as in the Great Lakes. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period, partitioned parameters and others. This system includes several domains: Lake Superior, Lake Huron-Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Atlantic North-West and Pacific North-East.

The Global Deterministic Wave Prediction System (GDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 120 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds and the ice concentration from the Global Deterministic Prediction System (GDPS). The ice concentration is used by the model to attenuate wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% ice and to suppress it for concentration above 75%. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period and primary swell height, direction and period.

The Regional Deterministic Wave Prediction System (RDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 48 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds from the High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS). Over the Great Lakes, an ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to attenuate or suppress wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice, respectively. Over the ocean, an ice forecast from the Regional Ice Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) is used: in the Northeast Pacific, waves propagate freely for ice concentrations below 50%, above this threshold there is no propagation; in the Northwest Atlantic the same logic is used as in the Great Lakes. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period, partitioned parameters and others. This system includes several domains: Lake Superior, Lake Huron-Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Atlantic North-West and Pacific North-East.

The Regional Deterministic Wave Prediction System (RDWPS) produces wave forecasts out to 48 hours in the future using the third generation spectral wave forecast model WaveWatch III® (WW3). The model is forced by the 10 meters winds from the High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS). Over the Great Lakes, an ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to attenuate or suppress wave growth in areas covered by 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice, respectively. Over the ocean, an ice forecast from the Regional Ice Ocean Prediction System (RIOPS) is used: in the Northeast Pacific, waves propagate freely for ice concentrations below 50%, above this threshold there is no propagation; in the Northwest Atlantic the same logic is used as in the Great Lakes. Forecast elements include significant wave height, peak period, partitioned parameters and others. This system includes several domains: Lake Superior, Lake Huron-Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Atlantic North-West and Pacific North-East.

The Regional Ensemble Wave Prediction System (REWPS) uses the third generation spectral wave model WaveWatch III® (WW3) to arrive at probabilistic predictions of wave elements from the current day out to 3 days into the future. The probabilistic predictions are based on 20 ensemble members and a control member that are forced by the 10 meters winds from the Regional Ensemble Prediction System (REPS). An ice forecast from the Water Cycle Prediction System of the Great Lakes (WCPS) is used by the model to dampen or suppress wave growth in areas covered respectively with 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice. WW3 (WAVEWATCH III® Development Group, WW3DG 2019) is a third generation spectral wave prediction model that solves the evolution of the energy balance equation for the 2-D wave energy spectrum without any prior assumptions on the shape of the spectrum. The WW3 model has been implemented by a growing number of national operational forecasting centres over the last several years. The REWPS data are available on the Great Lakes domain.

The Global Ensemble Wave Prediction System (GEWPS) uses the third generation spectral wave model WaveWatch III® (WW3) to arrive at probabilistic predictions of wave elements from the current day out to 16 days into the future. The probabilistic predictions are based on 20 ensemble members and a control member that are forced by the 10 meters winds from the Global Ensemble Prediction System (GEPS). The GEPS forecast is a coupled atmosphere-ice-ocean model, its sea ice forecast is used by the GEWPS to dampen or suppress wave growth in areas covered respectively with 25% to 75% and more than 75% ice. WW3 (WAVEWATCH III® Development Group, WW3DG 2019) is a third generation spectral wave prediction model that solves the evolution of the energy balance equation for the 2-D wave energy spectrum without any prior assumptions on the shape of the spectrum. The WW3 model has been implemented by a growing number of national operational forecasting centres over the last several years.