Abstract
This study aims to investigate methods for estimating extreme environmental conditions relevant to designing offshore wind turbines in ice-infested areas, focusing on the Korsnäs wind farm area. Historical air temperature data from four nearby weather stations were collected from the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) to assess ice thickness using Stefan's formula. Extreme value analysis using Matlab revealed consistent 50-year extreme ice thickness values across stations, with an interpolated thickness of 0.77 m for Korsnäs. Additionally, a model for first-year ice ridges was proposed for the Bay of Bothnia based on literature and guidelines. Considering the 50-year extreme ice thickness for Korsnäs, the consolidated ice thickness, sail height, and keel height were determined. Given a 50-year extreme ice thickness of 0.77 m for the Korsnäs wind farm area, the consolidated ice thickness is 1.15 m, sail height is 1.51 m, and keel height is 9.68 m.