Rogue waves, like the most extreme ever recorded by MarineLabs in 2020, are defined as being at least 2.2 times as high as the significant wave height of the waves occurring around them. They can come out of nowhere and pose significant risk to maritime safety. And they are not as rare as you might think.
From October 2019 to January 2025, MarineLabs’ sensor network recorded 378 rogue wave events over 3m in height along North American coastlines, drawing from 174.39 buoy-years of data. With over 5.6 million 15-minute observation segments analyzed, this dataset provides a comprehensive record of rogue waves, with each sensor node recording, on average, approximately 2.17 rogue wave events per year. The top five rogue waves recorded were:
- Amphitrite Bank, November 17, 2020, 17.6 meters (the most extreme ever recorded)
- Halifax, December 24, 2022, 13.59 meters
- Ucluelet Harbour Entrance, December 21, 2024, 9.94 meters
- Ucluelet Harbour Entrance, November 4, 2024, 9.49 meters
- Halifax (Hennessey Bank), December 25, 2022, 9.48 meters
The maps below highlight the rogue wave activity within MarineLabs’ expanding sensor network.
