Most extreme "rogue wave" ever recorded in the Pacific Ocean detailed in new study

In November 2020, a lonely buoy bobbing off the coast of British Columbia had quite the thrill ride when it was lifted sky-high by a gigantic wave known as the Ucluelet wave.

This monstrous wall of water, spanning the height of a four-story building, holds the record for the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded.

Intriguingly, this is an event that statisticians would tell you only happens once every 1,300 years.

Understanding rogue waves — the basics

Rogue waves are those massive, unexpected waves that seem to come out of nowhere and can be incredibly powerful.

Imagine you’re cruising on a regular ocean day, and suddenly a wave taller than a skyscraper barrels toward your ship — that’s a rogue wave.

These waves are much bigger than the surrounding waves and can appear without warning, making them especially dangerous for sailors and offshore structures.

Unlike typical waves that follow predictable patterns, rogue waves are rare and often surprising, which is why they’ve been the stuff of legends and maritime lore for so long.

That was until 1995, when a freak wave with a height of 85 feet — now known as the Draupner wave — crashed into an oil-drilling platform off the coast of Norway.

This monstrous wave became the first scientific evidence that rogue waves were more than just fiction.

Understanding the Ucluelet wave

The Draupner wave towered over its neighbors at a staggering 85 feet, as the surrounding waves were 39 feet tall.

In contrast, the Ucluelet wave off Vancouver Island, while only 58 feet tall in comparison, was almost three times the height of its surrounding waves.

“Proportionally, the Ucluelet wave is likely the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded,” noted physicist Johannes Gemmrich from the University of Victoria.

Such a remarkable size difference has researchers scratching their heads about how these rogue waves form.

The buoy that captured data from the Ucluelet wave was one of many deployed by MarineLabs.

Their mission is to gather more information about the deep-sea hazards that can wreak havoc on marine operations, wind farms, oil rigs, and potentially even beachgoers.

Perils of rogue waves

While neither the Ucluelet nor Draupner waves caused any significant damage, the history books are full of tales of rogue waves causing destruction.

It has even been speculated that several ships which vanished in the 1970s could have been taken down by rogue waves.

With a predicted increase in wave heights in the North Pacific due to climate change, the Ucluelet wave’s record might not stand for long.

Marine safety: A constant endeavor

Rogue waves can cause serious damage, sinking ships and disrupting marine activities, which is why understanding and predicting them is a big focus in oceanography.

“Capturing this once-in-a-millennium wave, right in our backyard, is a thrilling indicator of the power of coastal intelligence to transform marine safety,” stated MarineLabs CEO Scott Beatty.

The push for improved safety and decision-making in marine operations and coastal communities is an ongoing one.

Rogue waves vs. shore waves

Normal shore waves and rogue waves are like night and day when it comes to their behavior. Shore waves are those predictable, rolling waves you see at the beach.

They’re usually generated by winds blowing over the ocean’s surface and are shaped by the depth and contour of the seabed as they approach land.

These waves arrive in regular intervals, and you can usually see them coming from a distance — great for surfers and beachgoers who like to play it safe.

Rogue waves, on the other hand, are the wildcards of the ocean. As mentioned previously, they don’t follow the usual patterns and can appear suddenly, even in relatively calm seas.

These giants aren’t tied to the shoreline — they can pop up in the open ocean, towering over everything around them.

While shore waves are influenced by steady, consistent factors like wind and tides, rogue waves are the result of chaotic conditions, like multiple waves combining their energy in just the right (or wrong) way.

Antarctica and rogue waves mystery

An expedition by scientists from the University of Melbourne to the waters around Antarctica has uncovered more about the formation of rogue waves.

Their research has found that wind plays a significant role in the formation of these oceanic giants.

The team, led by Professor Alessandro Toffoli, took to the Antarctic waters in 2017, armed with state-of-the-art technology.

With stereo cameras mounted on the South African icebreaker SA Agulhas II, they captured unprecedented insights into rogue waves.

Their three-dimensional imaging of the ocean’s surface provided unique insights into the dynamics of rogue waves.

Critical role of wind

The observations revealed that rogue waves arise during the “young” stage of waves when they are most receptive to the wind.

“The wind creates a chaotic situation where waves of different dimensions and directions coexist,” explained Professor Toffoli.

Wind causes young waves to grow higher, longer and faster. During this self-amplification, a wave grows disproportionately at the expense of its neighbors.”

Call for better predictive tools

The research in the choppy seas of Antarctica has emphasized the need to integrate wind dynamics into predictive models for rogue wave forecasting.

Advancing our knowledge of rogue waves and their connection to wind dynamics opens up a world of possibilities for improving predictive tools in ocean safety.

By incorporating wind data into forecasting models, we can enhance our ability to anticipate and prepare for these formidable natural phenomena.

This integration will not only benefit sailors and maritime industries but also enable early warnings for coastal communities, enhancing overall safety and resilience in the face of unpredictable ocean conditions.

The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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