This paper describes wave climate and variability in the Gulf of Mexico based on a 30-yr wave hindcast. The North American Regional Reanalysis wind fields are employed to drive a third-generation spectral wave model with high spatial (0.005°–0.06°) and temporal (3 hourly) resolution from 1979 through 2008. The wave hindcast information is validated using National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) data and altimeter wave information (GlobWave). The model performance is satisfactory (r2 ~ 0.90) in the Gulf of Mexico and to a lesser extent in the Caribbean Sea (r2 ~ 0.87) where only locally generated waves are considered. However, the waves generated by the Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ) are discussed in this work. Subsequently, the yearly/monthly mean and extreme wave climates are characterized based on the (30 yr) wave hindcast information. The model results show that the mean wave climate is mainly modulated by winter cold fronts (nortes) in the Gulf of Mexico, whereas extreme wave climate is modulated by both hurricane and norte. Extreme wave heights in the Gulf of Mexico have increased at a rate of 0.07–0.08 m yr−1 in September/October because of increased cyclone intensity in the last decade. However, there is no significant trend when considering the annual statistics for extreme events. Furthermore, modeling results also suggest that the CLLJ modulates the mean wave climate in the Caribbean Sea and controls the rate of mean wave height increase (0.03 m yr−1) in the Caribbean. However, these later results need to be corroborated by extending the computational domain in order to include the swell coming from the Atlantic Ocean.

The use of an advanced volume of fluid (VOF)‐type model (COBRAS‐UC), based on the Reynolds‐Averaged Navier‐Stokes (RANS) equations, is proposed in this work with the aim of improving the current state of understanding of surf zone processes on natural beaches. Previous studies have suggested that it is important to consider contributions from terms traditionally neglected when assuming a uniform velocity and pressure distribution and a simple turbulence parameterization in surf zone hydrodynamics. In contrast with the Boussinesq and Nonlinear Shallow Water (NSW) equations models, in the RANS models none of the above‐mentioned limiting assumptions is required, since no wave theory is imposed and the initiation of wave breaking is predicted by using an advanced turbulence model. Although the model has been widely validated in the laboratory, there is no previous study, to the best of the authors' knowledge, which addresses the applicability of this model to random waves on natural beaches. Free‐surface elevation and wave‐induced velocity observations, from the SwashX field experiment, are used to validate this model. The model is able to satisfactorily predict the wave evolution and flow characteristics across the surf zone. The model provides a means to obtain high spatial and time resolution information of magnitudes which are difficult or impossible to measure in the field and therefore may contribute to improve our understanding on the physics of surf zone hydrodynamics. Moreover, it is also an excellent tool to obtain useful information of magnitudes involved in different kinds of modeling that require parameterization.