From TIME · Simmone Shah · · 1m 30s
Kelvin waves from El Niño threaten California coast
Warm water pulses moving up the West Coast will raise sea levels by up to a foot this month, increasing coastal erosion and flooding risks.
In brief
Warm water pulses moving up the West Coast will raise sea levels by up to a foot this month, increasing coastal erosion and flooding risks. A Kelvin wave driven by El Niño conditions is expected to raise West Coast sea levels by up to one foot this month, increasing coastal erosion and flooding risks for beachfront…
Quick answers
- What is a Kelvin wave?
- Kelvin waves are large, slow-moving masses of water spanning thousands of miles, named after Scottish engineer William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin. Warm water moves along the equator toward the Americas.
- What is the key takeaway from Kelvin waves from El Niño threaten California coast?
- A Kelvin wave driven by El Niño conditions is expected to raise West Coast sea levels by up to one foot this month, increasing coastal erosion and flooding risks for beachfront towns.
What is a Kelvin wave?
Kelvin waves are large, slow-moving masses of water spanning thousands of miles, named after Scottish engineer William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin. Warm water moves along the equator toward the Americas.
How Kelvin waves raise sea levels
The waves push warm water deeper and create a ridge in the ocean itself, raising sea levels by a few centimeters. Combined with tides and storms, this can cause meaningful coastal erosion and flooding.
“You would not see anything different, but the sea level would be just a few centimeters higher than it would normally be.”
California already seeing impacts
The West Coast can expect sea levels to rise by up to one foot this month. Coastal towns including Malibu, Laguna Beach, and Long Beach have already experienced significant coastal erosion this year.
Multiple waves already arrived
The West Coast has already experienced three or four Kelvin waves this season. The last strong El Niño event from two thousand fifteen to two thousand sixteen produced five Kelvin waves.
Climate change intensifies future risk
Global temperatures trend higher during El Niño years as warm water adds heat to the atmosphere. Scientists predict two thousand twenty-seven is likely to be the world's hottest year on record.
What to remember
A Kelvin wave driven by El Niño conditions is expected to raise West Coast sea levels by up to one foot this month, increasing coastal erosion and flooding risks for beachfront towns.
