The country awaits a weather bomb that will create the highest waves in the world

Three floors

These are monstrous waves that are preparing to pound Vancouver Island by Wednesday evening. The waves will be 6 to 8 meters high, and some could reach 12 meters. Yes you read correctly, 12 meters and not 12 feet! It’s taller than a three-story house. Taller than six Michael Jordans standing on each other’s shoulders. These waves will be accompanied by gusts which could reach 110 km/h.

Up to 20 meters

Offshore, the waves could be even more spectacular. Because if on the coast the ground is obviously immobile, the water level oscillates offshore. The difference between a wave crest and a trough could then reach 20 meters. Significant wave height is expected to be around 7 meters on the coast of the island, and 11 meters offshore.

Precise measurements

Note that significant wave height is measured by the average height of the third of the highest waves. Waves are measured from trough to crest. According to this measurement method, one wave in seven exceeds significant height. Some waves can be up to twice as high as the significant height.

Damage to be expected

These waves will of course be spectacular, but they could also cause their share of damage. We are of course thinking of the ships which are already at sea and which will not have time to get around the storm which has developed rapidly. Navigation there will be extremely hazardous. Such waves obviously cause coastal erosion and could seriously damage buildings and infrastructure along the coast of Vancouver Island. There is also the danger of rogue waves (sneaker waves) which can extend tens of meters inland. This phenomenon occurs when several waves align.

Beyond the criteria

In meteorology, a weather bomb is a system that intensifies very quickly, combined with a drop in atmospheric pressure of at least 24 hectopascals (hPa) within 24 hours. The system that will hit Vancouver Island is shattering this criterion with a forecast drop of more than 60 hPa in less than 24 hours this Tuesday.

With the collaboration of Patrick Duplessis, meteorologist.

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