3 ms·

I think (but definitely could be wrong) that this is more about how open-water waves can form great heights (i.e. what I've often heard referred to as "rogue wa

I think (but definitely could be wrong) that this is more about how open-water waves can form great heights (i.e. what I've often heard referred to as "rogue waves" in the past). I do know these rogue waves were a bit of a mystery in the past because mathematical modeling said waves shouldn't get that big. Near shorelines/sea floors is a whole other ball of wax, though, because the terrain can essentially "funnel" waves into giant monstrosities like what happens at Nazare. Depending on the shape of the shoreline I don't believe there is a single "max wave" height, i.e. I believe you can have situations like the Bay of Fundy (that is tides though, not waves) where you can get massive difference in high vs. low tide due to resonance.

safety1st 2y ago
The Southern Ocean routinely has waves of 20-30m in size because of the uninterrupted belt of water and wind that circles the globe in those latitudes (aka the "Furious Fifties" and "Shrieking Sixties"). We obviously can't track every wave in the ocean but I think we're fairly certain there are 30m+ waves happening down there and they are not that rare. TIL that the largest waves in recorded history were up to 500m (!!), generated by a tsunami off the coast of southern Alaska. Even 20 meters is insane. That's 4-5 double decker buses stacked on top of each other (and probably hits with more force than they would...)
- hermitcrab 2y ago
  >TIL that the largest waves in recorded history were up to 500m (!!), generated by a tsunami off the coast of southern Alaska. I assume you mean the 1958 Lituya Bay mega tsunami. While extremely impressive, it was quite localized.
metalman 2y ago
The fundy basin reveals many interesting hyrological phenominon,large standing waves(the dorey rippes),tidal bores(wall of water rushing inland up bays and rivers,which ((not kidding)) black ducks surf to get to the high tide and then forage all the way back out on the outgoing tide) also whirl pools form,each tide at the tip of cape split its a monsterous amount of water/mass not sure of the exact numbers,but the earths crust must flex a bit with the fundy tide then there is the permanent circum polar wave that circles antartica,100 meters plus

safety1st 2y ago

The Southern Ocean routinely has waves of 20-30m in size because of the uninterrupted belt of water and wind that circles the globe in those latitudes (aka the "Furious Fifties" and "Shrieking Sixties"). We obviously can't track every wave in the ocean but I think we're fairly certain there are 30m+ waves happening down there and they are not that rare. TIL that the largest waves in recorded history were up to 500m (!!), generated by a tsunami off the coast of southern Alaska. Even 20 meters is insane. That's 4-5 double decker buses stacked on top of each other (and probably hits with more force than they would...)

hermitcrab 2y ago
>TIL that the largest waves in recorded history were up to 500m (!!), generated by a tsunami off the coast of southern Alaska. I assume you mean the 1958 Lituya Bay mega tsunami. While extremely impressive, it was quite localized.

metalman 2y ago

The fundy basin reveals many interesting hyrological phenominon,large standing waves(the dorey rippes),tidal bores(wall of water rushing inland up bays and rivers,which ((not kidding)) black ducks surf to get to the high tide and then forage all the way back out on the outgoing tide) also whirl pools form,each tide at the tip of cape split its a monsterous amount of water/mass not sure of the exact numbers,but the earths crust must flex a bit with the fundy tide then there is the permanent circum polar wave that circles antartica,100 meters plus