The planetary wave headed for California isn’t what you think it is
A Kelvin wave, a common oceanographic phenomenon associated with El Niño, is moving toward California, causing sea level fluctuations. Experts clarify that while the wave can exacerbate coastal issues, it is not a violent surface wave as some media reports have suggested.
Why it matters
Correcting public misconceptions about climate-related phenomena is essential for accurate disaster preparedness and environmental reporting.
A rather strong “planetary wave” recently slammed into South America and is making its way toward California. In case you’re worried about headlines warning of the supposedly “freak” phenomenon “bringing trouble,” it’s worth understanding what this wave really is and isn’t.
Called a Kelvin wave, it’s carrying warm water to the Americas that’s typically trapped farther west. That’s raising sea levels along already vulnerable coastlines. These kinds of waves are common. When they do arrive, they can exacerbate existing problems. And this particular Kelvin wave could have more dramatic consequences than usual.
But “If you’re going to be out there looking for it, you’re not going to see it,” says Richard Seager, a research professor at Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory.
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