Relative role of subinertial and superinertial modes in the coastal long wave response forced by the landfall of a tropical cyclone

► The long-wave response of the coastal ocean to a translating mesoscale atmospheric cyclone is modeled. ► Subinertial continental shelf waves dominate the response under typical forcing conditions and on the narrower shelves. ► More dangerous edge waves are generated on a wide, gently sloping shelf by a fast-moving cyclone. ► Highest-amplitude edge waves are produced by a storm with an Eulerian time scale equal to the period of a zero-mode edge wave with the wavelength of the storm spatial scale.