California sea levels to rise by 30cm due to El Niño

Sea levels along the California coast are expected to rise by approximately 30 centimeters (about one foot) by mid-October due to the influence of El Niño. This rise is driven by Kelvin waves, which are large volumes of water moving north from the coasts of Mexico and Central America.

Oceanographer Dillon Amaya of North Carolina State University notes that while these Kelvin waves are nearly imperceptible to the human eye as they travel north at roughly 10 kilometers per hour, they are detectable via satellite. These waves serve as a clear indicator that El Niño is impacting the region.

The elevated sea levels increase the risk of damage from winter storms and high astronomical tides. This phenomenon effectively exacerbates the potential impact of other weather events associated with El Niño.