«Bomb» cyclone, which hit the US West coast last week, brought some of the highest waves ever recorded off the coast of California.
According to the University of California at San Diego, «monstrous» 75-foot (22 meters) wave was was about 20 miles off the coast of Cape Mendocino in Northern California. According to scientists, for 15 years, the average height of the waves in winter at this point usually does not exceed 10 feet. During the violence of the elements, the same average waves reached 43 feet (13 meters).
«This is definitely unusual for this time of the year, told CNN the program Manager monitor the waves, James Behrens. Such huge waves are usually found only in the middle of the ocean, but not near the coast.»
«Bomb cyclone» — is such storms, which are very quickly gaining momentum, causing a rapid pressure drop. According to Behrens, a lower pressure leads to stronger winds.
According to the National weather service, air cyclone, which pounded the West of the country rain and snowfall set a record low pressure in Northern California and parts of Oregon.
Hurricane-force winds were registered at Cape Blanco (Oregon) on the same day was recorded a 75-foot wave. The wind gusts there peaked at 106 mph.
Fortunately, nobody has suffered from these giant waves. The national weather service urged boaters to refrain from water-walking.
«But often it is, of course, just Russian roulette, said James Behrens. If they went into the ocean at this time, no one knows what would have ended».
