Huge Wave Caused by Ivan

[Swimdude]

Let's see... 131 foot wave. Hmmm. Ignoring the regular depth of the ocean... That's a wave as tall as a 12-14 story building.

That stinks.

[rtd2]

If you haven't read it, I found the following article about a huge wave created by Hurricane Ivan very interesting.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0% ... %2C00.html

I had no idea this storm may have caused a wave that large. Specifically, the NRL model predicts it may have reached 131 feet in height

I DONT BUY the 131Ft wave Story...40 -60 ft offshore ..Maybe...20 ft at landfall MOST likely in Certain Places! Remember this was at one TIME A CAT 5...while the winds decreased Before landfall the waves that were generated at cat 4-5 strength hit as such...I often describe Ivan to People as a Cat 2-3 Wind storm with a Cat 4-5 Surge!

[CFL]

CFL... it amazes me also. I live in Pace...about 1/2 mile from escambia bay..in Floridatown. Those beautiful homes on the waterfront in Floridatown were gutted...clothes, washingmachines...etc...scattered hundreds of feet into the trees and underbrush between the bay and my house...we live on a hill (which saved us) along with so many trees between the water and my home. IT definitely will be a LONG LONG time for things to return to normal around here...if ever.

I bet it has been rough going in your neighborhood. I've seen some of the damage pictures of Floridatown in the News Journal. I'm glad you fared better. I had a townhouse in the Scenic Highway area that I sold just in time - June of last year.

[gulfcoastdave]

I lived in Pensacola most my life and moved to SantaRosa County in June of last year. It was hard to think of what Ivan did to this area and one can only imagine the damage until you see it for yourself up close. I stayed in my new home that was just built and I wont stay again for a storm as powerful as Ivan.

On the wave issue. I remember before we lost power of reports of 60 foot waves being reported in the gulf. I enjoyed reading the article on the wave.

[PTrackerLA]

I've seen damage from the Pensacola beach area that looks as if waves were crashing on the tops of some 2 story ocean front condos because they all had similar damage...just the front parts of the roofs had caved in. .

Well, given the 8 foot storm surge (that takes care of the first floor there), it wouldn't take a HUGE wave to do exactly what you describe. What? 8-10 feet more to get to the roof? Seems highly possible to me.

I realized that, I'm just saying it's hard for me to imagine a 20 ft storm surge (waves included). How terrifying it must have been for the very few who stayed on the barrier island during Ivan.

[vbhoutex]

An open water storm wave is way different from a tsunami and a 100 foot storm wave would have tripped and broken long before reaching shore. From the report, it looks like this was a rogue wave resulting from interference between conflicting wave/swell trains and currents.

Steve

EXACTLY...the gulf buoys are in deep water...deep water and 120 mph winds can support huge waves...easily 30-50 foot BUT...the continental shelf TOTALLY trips the and causes them to decay muliple times beofre reaching the shore. PLEASE don't get the impression that ANY shorefront buildings saw 20 foot waves on the gulf. It doesn't happen. Ocean waves break in water 3/4 deep as their height. 9 foot deep water supports 12 foot wave heights.

Sorry to disappoint you, but it does happen. I have surfed them and seen them in person. The waves I surfed were from Hurricane Celia as she was passing across the GOM south of P'cola and when Camille was coming ashore I saw waves well over twenty feed high that were breaking clear across the West end of Santa Rosa Island, just as they did during Ivan. It does happen.

As far as the storm surge in GB it did come out of the sound. The part of GB that was destroyed by surge was in the Villa Venyce area which is East of the GB area most people know about.

[patsmsg]

Are you talking about an 8 foot storm surge over land with 12 foot waves on top? If so, then that would not be possible. Wave height is dependent on water depth. A wave will break at 2/3 water depth. That's about 5 1/2 feet for water depth of 8 feet. And that 5 1/2 feet is from crest to trough, so the actual height above the initial 8 foot surge would be 2 3/4 feet, making a total height of 10 3/4 feet. However, if the surge is over water, say 10 feet deep, then that would make the initial water depth 18 feet, allowing ror a 12 foot wave and a total water height of 24 feet.

Now THAT's the kind of post I love to see! Great information...very informative. Thanks for the info Wxman57!

[patsmsg]

If you haven't read it, I found the following article about a huge wave created by Hurricane Ivan very interesting.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0% ... %2C00.html

I had no idea this storm may have caused a wave that large. Specifically, the NRL model predicts it may have reached 131 feet in height

I DONT BUY the 131Ft wave Story...40 -60 ft offshore ..Maybe...20 ft at landfall MOST likely in Certain Places!

Sure, I don't think anyone was saying it was 131 foot at the landfall. We're talking way out in the GOM.

[rtd2]

If you haven't read it, I found the following article about a huge wave created by Hurricane Ivan very interesting.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0% ... %2C00.html

I had no idea this storm may have caused a wave that large. Specifically, the NRL model predicts it may have reached 131 feet in height

I DONT BUY the 131Ft wave Story...40 -60 ft offshore ..Maybe...20 ft at landfall MOST likely in Certain Places!

Sure, I don't think anyone was saying it was 131 foot at the landfall. We're talking way out in the GOM.

Agreed and after re-reading the story I've have warmed up to the fact its possible...I've heard of 90ft waves are common out to sea, ect. (deep water) but when its close to home its hard to imagine! to me the GOMEX is close to home so A131 ft wave is still going to be 20-30 ft by the time it hits shore!... I remember reading about an earthquake-landslide that created a 450 Ft wave in Alaska years back so 131ft certainly is possible with Mother Nature! I know I remember that night Ivan came ashore several of us Posted Buoy reports of 40 ft waves just offshore so again theres no doubt Ivan Hit with Cat 4-5 Storm surge and lesser winds...

[vbhoutex]

If I am not mistaken Ivan produced the highest recorded wave height ever(by a bouy or other recording device)at 51 feet on the bouy south of Mobile.

And after having flown over the backside of Camille as she was moving inland and literally seeing what looked like snow capped mountains through the clouds I can believe the 131 foot story especially since it was probably a rogue wave.

[rtd2]

If I am not mistaken Ivan produced the highest recorded wave height ever(by a bouy or other recording device)at 51 feet on the bouy south of Mobile.And after having flown over the backside of Camille as she was moving inland and literally seeing what looked like snow capped mountains through the clouds I can believe the 131 foot story especially since it was probably a rogue wave.

Thats the One..Several of us reported that Night!

[bevgo]

Thank God it was out over water and not hitting the coast. The destruction would have been devastating

[Anonymous]

When I was in the Navy, we were in the North Atlantic in 1992. We went through a storm, where we had 60 kts of wind across the deck. I was on board the USS Eisenhower (an aircraft carrier). Our flight deck was about 65 feet above sea level, and we were taking gray water over the bow.

That is about a 70-75 foot wave from crest to trough. I don't think 130 feet is out of the question.

[LCfromFL]

When I was in the Navy, we were in the North Atlantic in 1992. We went through a storm, where we had 60 kts of wind across the deck. I was on board the USS Eisenhower (an aircraft carrier). Our flight deck was about 65 feet above sea level, and we were taking gray water over the bow.

That is about a 70-75 foot wave from crest to trough. I don't think 130 feet is out of the question.

Sharpenu...what is 'gray water'? Is that when the waves are breaking kind of in the middle? Rather than the 'white caps' at the top?

My dad was in the Navy - and talks about a rogue wave that almost had his destroyer at a 45 degree roll (they were in the North Atlantic). Big waves are definitely out there.

[dhweather]

If you haven't read it, I found the following article about a huge wave created by Hurricane Ivan very interesting.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0% ... %2C00.html

I had no idea this storm may have caused a wave that large. Specifically, the NRL model predicts it may have reached 131 feet in height

I DONT BUY the 131Ft wave Story...40 -60 ft offshore ..Maybe...20 ft at landfall MOST likely in Certain Places! Remember this was at one TIME A CAT 5...while the winds decreased Before landfall the waves that were generated at cat 4-5 strength hit as such...I often describe Ivan to People as a Cat 2-3 Wind storm with a Cat 4-5 Surge!

That's what happened - The winds react much faster than the ocean,
so typically the ocean is 24-48 behind the atmosphere.

[rtd2]

When I was in the Navy, we were in the North Atlantic in 1992. We went through a storm, where we had 60 kts of wind across the deck. I was on board the USS Eisenhower (an aircraft carrier). Our flight deck was about 65 feet above sea level, and we were taking gray water over the bow.

That is about a 70-75 foot wave from crest to trough. I don't think 130 feet is out of the question.

Sharpenu...what is 'gray water'? Is that when the waves are breaking kind of in the middle? Rather than the 'white caps' at the top?

My dad was in the Navy - and talks about a rogue wave that almost had his destroyer at a 45 degree roll (they were in the North Atlantic). Big waves are definitely out there.

I'd like to Know that too....I used to work at a ship yard that Built Navy ships and On the Ships in plumbing terms "Gray water" is For Sink Drains and Deck drains...Black water is the Sewage and other water that Is Not treated for Consumption...