California rushes to prepare for massive ‘Kelvin’ wave and predicted sea level rise
California is preparing for a 'Kelvin wave,' a massive underwater band of warm water that could exacerbate sea level rise and coastal flooding. Scientists warn that the phenomenon, combined with upcoming winter storms and high tides, could cause significant damage to shorelines and infrastructure.
Why it matters
This event highlights the compounding risks of climate change and oceanographic phenomena on coastal urban resilience.
Homes in Long Beach, California, in a waning swell from Hurricane Marie, on 8 September. Photograph: Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images Homes in Long Beach, California, in a waning swell from Hurricane Marie, on 8 September. Photograph: Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images US weather California rushes to prepare for massive ‘Kelvin’ wave and predicted sea level rise Wave nearing southern California expected to reach San Francisco Bay Area by October as it crawls toward Alaska
Prefer the Guardian on Google Communities across California are rushing to prepare for the imminent arrival of the so-called “Kelvin wave”, a massive underwater band of warm water threatening to inundate swaths of the vast North American shoreline.
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