Model bias of sea surface temperature (a) and chlorophyll (b) for the period 10^th June 2011 to 10^th October 2011.

<p>Model bias of sea surface temperature (a) and chlorophyll (b) for the period 10^th June 2011 to 10^th October 2011.</p

Study region with nested grids configuration of the atmospheric model (ATM) and ocean model (OCEAN-0 and target domain OCEAN-1).

<p>Study region with nested grids configuration of the atmospheric model (ATM) and ocean model (OCEAN-0 and target domain OCEAN-1).</p

Observed and modeled (in black) sea surface temperature (a, c and e) and chlorophyll (b, d and f) at latitude 42°N and longitudes 9°W, 9.75°W and 10.5°W (locations indicated as triangles in Figure 2.

<p>The satellite observations are distributed by OSISAF and by IFREMER. Note the different vertical scales for chlorophyll. Each data points is the average of the data inside a circle of radius 7 km. Error bars are the corresponding standard deviations.</p

River inputs of nitrate and chlorophyll.

<p>River inputs of nitrate and chlorophyll.</p

Same as <b>Figure 7</b> but for the latitude 38

<p>°<b>N.</b></p

Operational ocean model domain with the location of geographical features and landmarks referenced through the text.

<p>The model grid covers the Portuguese and Galician coasts. The main riverine sources of the model are indicated together with the corresponding percentages of fresh water inputs (rivers were introduced as monthly climatologies). The three triangles at the latitudes 42°N and 38°N indicate the locations of surface currents (42°only), temperature and chlorophyll comparisons, between model and observations, done in this work. The cross near the Vouga river mouth is the location of wind comparison.</p

Wind measured by the Aveiro University automatic weather station (a) and ocean model forcing wind at the same location (b).

<p>The site is indicated in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0037343#pone-0037343-g002" target="_blank">Figure 2</a> as x close to the Vouga river mouth.</p

Parameter values of the NPZD model.

<p>Parameter values of the NPZD model.</p

Same as previous figure but showing the chlorophyll coastal bloom.

<p>Chlorophyll observations are provided by IFREMER and obtained from OC5 optimised interpolation of MODIS, SeaWiFS and MERIS observations.</p

Sea surface temperature from model (upper panel) and from satellite observations provided by OSISAF (lower panel, processed by Meteo-France/CMS-Lannion in the framework of the OSISAF project).

<p>Snapshots between 13^th and 26^th July 2011 are depicted, illustrating one episode of upwelling intensification and coastal bloom (next Figure).</p