We are having Kelvin Wave high Tides along the California Coast
So, even though the King tides are over for a week or two we have these Kelvin waves hitting that travel under the water for thousands of miles. I had never heard of a Kelvin Wave before so here is more about them better explained than I presently can. So, when I just went to the ocean the tides were almost as high as the King Tides which was amazing just now too here on the northern California Coast.
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Kelvin waves are slow-moving, large-scale subsurface pulses of warm water that travel thousands of miles across the ocean. They are a signature feature of El Niño events.
What Is a Kelvin Wave?
Subsurface Shape: Unlike normal beach waves, Kelvin waves do not curl over or crash. They are broad, flat internal waves that move deep beneath the ocean's surface—typically between the surface and the thermocline (the cold transition layer below).
Speed and Scale: They travel slowly at about 5 to 10 miles per hour (roughly 150 miles per day), taking two to three months to cross the Pacific Ocean.
No Surfing: Because they are deep and wide, you cannot see or surf them from the shore.
How They Form and Move
Equatorial Origin: They usually form in the western equatorial Pacific when trade winds weaken or stop during an El Niño. This allows piled-up warm water to slosh eastward along the equator.
Coastal Trapping: When the wave hits the coast of South America, it splits. One part heads south toward the pole, and the other heads north along the west coast of Central America, Mexico, and the U.S. West Coast.
Coriolis Effect: The rotation of the Earth traps these waves against the equator or the coastline, keeping them from scattering into the open ocean.
Impacts on Sea Levels and Weather
Temporary Sea Level Rise: By pushing a massive volume of warm, less-dense water downward, they displace cooler water and cause local sea levels to rise by 6 to 12 inches (or more).
Amplified Flooding Risks: On their own, Kelvin waves rarely cause major damage, but they raise the baseline sea level. When combined with high tides ("king tides") or winter storms, they significantly increase coastal erosion and flooding risks.
Warmer Waters and Marine Life: They push cold, nutrient-dense water deeper down, warming the surface layer. This can disrupt marine food webs, suppress phytoplankton growth, and push tropical fish or marine species into unexpected regions.
You can learn more about their dynamics and global tracking on Wikipedia, or read up on recent regional updates via KQED Science and NPR.
Watch this video to see how a Kelvin wave travels across the Pacific and impacts coastal sea levels:
3m
What is the Kelvin wave on the West Coast?
86K views · 21 days ago
YouTube · SciFri
Are you looking for information on Kelvin waves in a specific region (like California) or how they affect El Niño forecasts?
NOAA Fisheries (.gov)
A NOAA oceanographer explains Kelvin waves, their part in El Niño events, and their impacts along the U.S. West Coast. | NOAA Fisheries
We asked oceanographer Michael Jacox, from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center and NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, to explai...
NOAA's National Ocean Service (.gov)
What is a Kelvin wave?
Kelvin waves are slow-moving, relatively flat, warm water waves that stretch thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean. Kelvin w...
Wikipedia
Kelvin wave - Wikipedia
Definition: Low-frequency gravity wave with motion concentrated near vertical boundaries (coastal) or the equator (equatorial), oc...
Oct 6, 2026 — Kelvin waves are a key part of El Niño's development, shifting warm ocean temperatures from the west towards the east along the equator. Coastal ...
Oct 19, 2026 — Think of a Kelvin wave as a massive bulge of warm, expanded water. Because it's warmer, this massive subsurface wave displaces the cold water it ...
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