Kelvin Waves Explained: El Niño’s Hidden Ocean Pulse
Kelvin waves are massive pulses of ocean or atmospheric energy that travel thousands of miles across the equatorial Pacific. A warm, downwelling Kelvin wave can move subsurface heat eastward, deepen the thermocline and help strengthen El Niño, although one wave does not guarantee an El Niño event. The current wave is forecast to reach California in late September and move toward San Francisco by early October, potentially raising coastal water levels by about 1 foot. That temporary rise could worsen flooding and erosion if it coincides with high tides, large surf or a coastal storm.
