What to know about the Kelvin wave raising the sea level along the West Coast

Sea levels along the West Coast will begin to rise by up to a foot this month as a series of pulses of warm water called Kelvin waves hit the shoreline and move north, sparking concerns about beach erosion and flooding in areas already impacted by climate change and El Nino.

What to know about the Kelvin wave raising the sea level along the West Coast

TL;DR

  • Sea levels on the West Coast will rise by up to a foot this month.
  • The rise is caused by Kelvin waves, pulses of warm water.
  • This is expected to exacerbate beach erosion and flooding.
  • Concerns are heightened for areas already impacted by climate change and El Nino.