Rising Waves Threaten California's Coastline, Study Finds

A recent study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans reveals that climate change is causing waves along California's coast to become bigger and more frequent. The study analyzed nearly a century of seismic records and found that mean winter wave heights and the number of waves taller than 16 feet have significantly increased since the 1970s. The intensification of the Aleutian Low, an area of low pressure over the Aleutian Islands, is likely contributing to the increase in storms. The findings highlight the connection between climate change and extreme weather, emphasizing the need to consider wave impacts when planning for rising sea levels and storm resilience.