20m-tall 'rogue waves' are actually real

[Still Waters]

TEN-storey high, near-vertical walls of frothing water. Smashed portholes and flooded cabins on the upper decks. Thirty-metre behemoths that rise up from nowhere to throw ships about like corks, only to slip back beneath the depths moments later.

Evocative descriptions of abnormally large "rogue waves" that appear out of the blue have been shared among sailors for centuries. With little or no hard evidence, and the size of the waves often growing with each telling, there is little surprise that scientists long dismissed them as tall tales.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170510-terrifying-20m-tall-rogue-waves-are-actually-real

[oldrover]

Very interesting subject. I remember the 'Horizon' episode from years back. It always fascinates me.

 

[jarjarbinks]

Imagine being on the deck and watching that 26meters wave coming your way...

[coolguy]

The queen mary was allmost sunk by a rouge wave carrying troops over in world war 2

[Still Waters]

9 hours ago, coolguy said:

The queen mary was allmost sunk by a rouge wave carrying troops over in world war 2

That rogue wave may have been up to 28 metres tall according to this article -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/fascinating-facts-about-queen-mary-cruise-ship/

[little_dreamer]

The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was said to be 50 feet high in certain areas.  Though I would guess that it's not the height so much - just the sheer volume and force of water that caused the most problems.

"A tsunami may be less than a foot (30 centimeters) in height on the surface of the open ocean, which is why they are not noticed by sailors. But the powerful pulse of energy travels rapidly through the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour. Once a tsunami reaches shallow water near the coast it is slowed down. The top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise dramatically.

The Indian Ocean tsunami caused waves as high as 50 feet (15 meters) in some places, according to news reports. But in many other places witnesses described a rapid surging of the ocean, more like an extremely powerful river or a flood than the advance and retreat of giant waves."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1227_041226_tsunami.html

[Merc14]

Although there are two main conflicting theories apparently they have found that some areas of ocean are more prone to creating these waves than others:

Using satellite imagery, it became obvious the there are certain areas around the globe that are more prone to Rogue Wave activity. Places where ocean currents meet waves that travel at opposite directions are especially dangerous. Those areas were quickly removed from shipping lanes listings.

http://thefutureofthings.com/3698-the-wave-that-changed-science/

 

ERS-2 Satellite image of a 29.8 meter wave  http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Ship-sinking_monster_waves_revealed_by_ESA_satellites

Edited May 14, 2017 by Merc14

[coolguy]

Thanks for link stillwaters 

[kartikg]

wow would like to see videos of these waves. 

[Myles]

23 hours ago, little_dreamer said:

The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was said to be 50 feet high in certain areas.  Though I would guess that it's not the height so much - just the sheer volume and force of water that caused the most problems.

"A tsunami may be less than a foot (30 centimeters) in height on the surface of the open ocean, which is why they are not noticed by sailors. But the powerful pulse of energy travels rapidly through the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour. Once a tsunami reaches shallow water near the coast it is slowed down. The top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise dramatically.

The Indian Ocean tsunami caused waves as high as 50 feet (15 meters) in some places, according to news reports. But in many other places witnesses described a rapid surging of the ocean, more like an extremely powerful river or a flood than the advance and retreat of giant waves."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1227_041226_tsunami.html

As a novice, this seems hard to believe.    - travels rapidly through the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour

I'm not saying it is wrong, just that it is hard to believe.      That would be over 200 miles per hour, at least.