Extreme wave events Station Max/Min


Click on an image below to view the full size

East Coast Storm Finn 2024
West Coast Storms 2023
East Coast Storm 2023
Hawaii Swell
Ophelia
Hurricane Idalia
 More about Hurricane Elsa from wikipedia ...

Tropical Storm Claudette - June 2021

Tropical storm Claudette made landfall in LA before moving offshore of NC. A few CDIP stations observed greater than predicted wave heights. One of CDIP’s newest stations, #256, was installed just a few weeks prior.


2020 Storm Season

The 2020 hurricane season was the most active on record, with 30 named storms, 13 of which were hurricanes.

 More on the 2020 hurricane season (Shore & Beach) ...

Hurricane Dorian - September 2019

Hurricane Dorian was the most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the Bahamas, and is regarded as the worst natural disaster in the country's history. It was also one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic Ocean in terms of 1-minute sustained winds, with these winds peaking at 185 mph (295 km/h). It was the fourth named storm, second hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. More from wikipedia

Wave data were recorded by 19 CDIP stations as the storm moved from south to north along the Atlantic coast from August 24 - September 10.

Hurricane track
Significant wave height (Hs) plots
Hs comparison to WW3 model
Maximum wave heights table

Hurricane Florence - September 2018

Hurricane Florence was the first major hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. It made landfall in North Carolina in mid-September.

Hurricane track
Wave height plots
Wave height table

Bomb Cyclone Nor'easter - January 2018

While not technically a hurricane, the January 2018 North American Blizzard generated winds and waves of comparable magnitudes. Large waves from this event were measured by a dozen CDIP buoys stretching from North Carolina to New Hampshire.

Shore & Beach article

Bomb Cyclone Thumb
Storm track
Wave heights

2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season

2017 was an extremely active hurricane season in the Atlantic. The most significant impacts came from three major hurricanes in September: Irma, Jose, and Maria. CDIP's buoy network made extensive measurements of these events.

Shore & Beach article

Hurricane map 2017
September tracks and max waves
Irma Track Thumb
Hurricane Irma
Jose Track Thumb
Hurricane Jose
Maria Track Thumb
Hurricane Maria

Hurricane Matthew - October 2016

In early October 2016, Hurricane Matthew moved north from the Carribean Sea and traveled up the east coast before dissipating off of Virginia. More than a dozen CDIP buoys recorded waves generated by the storm, measuring significant wave heights of over 20 feet and individual waves of over 30 feet. Shore & Beach article

Matthew Track Thumb
Matthew track
East coast wave heights

Hurricane Sandy - October 2012

In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy moved north from the Carribean Sea and traveled up the east coast. Thirteen CDIP buoys recorded waves generated by the storm, measuring significant wave heights of over 30 feet and individual waves of over 45 feet.

Sandy Track Thumb Sandy data plot Thumb
Sandy track East coast wave heights

Hurricane Irene - August 2011

In late August 2011, Hurricane Irene traveled up the East Coast, making landfall in North Carolina and again in New Jersey. CDIP buoys from Florida up to Canada recorded the impact of the storm. The largest waves recorded were at CDIP's Block Island, RI buoy, with a significant wave height of over 30 feet and individual waves up to 48 feet. CDIP's Duck, NC buoy recorded a significant wave height of over 25 feet and individual waves up to 43 feet. In all, five CDIP buoys measured significant wave heights of over 4 meters (13 feet) from Irene.

Irene Track Thumb Irene Compendium Thumb Irene Plots Thumb
Irene Track Compendium plot Hs,Tp,Dp plots

Hurricane Dean - August 2007

In late August 2007, Hurricane Dean made its way through the Carribean Sea. CDIP buoy 144, approximately 82 nautical miles offshore Tampa Bay, FL in the Gulf of Mexico, recorded swell from Dean as the storm moved west of Cuba's shadow.

Dean Track Thumb Compendium Thumb Dean Plots Thumb
Dean Track Compendium plot