rogue wave
Sign in to saveAlso known as freak wave, monster wave, killer wave, extreme wave, abnormal wave, rogue
relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that occur far out at sea
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
A merchant ship in heavy seas as a large wave looms ahead, Bay of Biscay, c. 1940
Rogue waves (also known as freak waves, monster waves, or killer waves) are large and unpredictable surface waves that can be extremely dangerous to ships and isolated structures such as lighthouses. They are distinct from tsunamis, which are long-wavelength waves, often almost unnoticeable in deep waters and caused by the displacement of water due to other phenomena (such as earthquakes). A rogue wave at the shore is sometimes called a sneaker wave.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “rogue wave” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.
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