A deep ocean Kelvin wave is lifting sea levels along the West Coast
A Kelvin wave is a deep ocean wave, and one is currently raising sea levels along the West Coast. It develops along the equator during El Niño years, when a vast region of the Pacific Ocean becomes much warmer than usual. Some of that warm water moves slowly east beneath the ocean’s surface — a wave stretching thousands of miles — until it reaches South America. Then it splits, travelling north along the West Coast and as far south as Chile.
AI-generated discussion · Different perspectives
A Kelvin wave is less a culprit than a loaded die. By itself it does not cause flooding; it raises sea level and makes the background more favourable, while a major storm or very high tides supplies the trigger.
That is fair for flooding, but not for ecology. The same wave brings warmer water up the coast, which can stress marine life; Amaya says tropical fishes have turned up where they are not normally seen. The wave is doing more than stacking the odds for a storm.
And this is not a one-off. A strong El Niño year usually brings five to six Kelvin waves; Amaya expects the next to reach San Diego in late October or early November.