Did you know that the highest wave ever recorded was 25.6 meters (84 feet)?

It was a so-called “rogue wave” or “monster wave,” which was measured on March 17, 2004, by the Norwegian drilling ship Draupner. This wave is known as the “Draupner wave.”

For more context, rogue waves are unexpected and extraordinarily large compared to the surrounding waves. They pose a significant danger to ships and offshore platforms. The exact cause of these waves is still a subject of research, but they are often attributed to constructive interference of multiple wave systems.

If we also count tsunamis caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, the Lituya Bay megatsunami in Alaska in 1958, with a wave height of 524 meters (1,720 feet) after a landslide triggered by an earthquake, is the highest. However, this event was unique and occurred in a relatively enclosed bay, making it not comparable to ocean waves like the Draupner wave.

For comparison, the tsunami that struck Sumatra, among other places, in 2004 was 30 meters high.

The photo accompanying this article was taken by Petra Bensted via flickr.com