When fierce storms strike, most eyes turn to land. But out in the ocean, far away from land, something extraordinary happened last December during a storm. Satellites had measured ocean waves rising as high as almost 66 feet, which is as tall as Paris's Arc de Triomphe. It was the highest average wave height ever recorded from space and provided new information on how powerful swells travel across oceans.
What can ocean swells tell us about storms?
Ocean swells are not choppy waves close to shores. Ocean swells are smoother and longer, and they may travel great distances for days or weeks. Scientists state that these swells are messengers that carry hints about the size and power of the storms that created them, even from thousands of miles away.
A team of researchers analysed satellite data to understand this better. The most recent information came from SWOT, a French-US satellite that scans the ocean in great detail. They also used older data from satellites such as Sentinel-3, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, Jason-3, CryoSat, SARAL, and CFOSAT, covering more than three decades.
How far did Storm Eddie’s waves travel?
The research centred on Storm Eddie, which reached its peak on December 21, 2024. The storm generated massive waves almost 66 feet high, the largest seen in open water in over ten years. What amazed scientists most was that the swell from Eddie kept moving for more than 15 days, travelling nearly 15,000 miles.
The swell began in the North Pacific, passed through the Drake Passage near Antarctica, and reached the tropical Atlantic by early January 2025. These waves carried immense energy long after the storm had faded.
Where does wave energy really go?
The European Space Agency report revealed surprising findings about wave energy. Until now, experts believed that the longest swells carried most of the energy across oceans. The new study showed otherwise. Most of the energy is actually held in the storm’s dominant peak waves rather than the longest ones.
Lead researcher Fabrice Ardhuin, from the Laboratory of Physical and Spatial Oceanography in France, said other factors like seabed conditions also influence wave behaviour. “Climate change may be a driver, but it is not the only one,” he said, adding that such massive storms are rare and occur roughly once every decade.
Can satellites predict future storms' impacts?
The information enabled scientists to test and refine satellite models in extreme conditions. The Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission, which measures sea-level increase, also monitors wave height and wind speed, providing improved forecasts for shipping and coastal protection. SWOT provided another level of accuracy, picking up even small swells and long ocean waves, which previous missions sometimes skipped over.
The research validated that storms do not have to hit the land to make their presence felt. Their energy can cross oceans and still cause damage. With decades of satellite data now available, researchers can trace not just where storms strike, but how far their waves reach.
The findings, published in a report by the European Space Agency, could help strengthen coastal defences and improve storm prediction as global climate patterns continue to change.
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