Satellites help scientists understand monster waves during storms

Technology Oct 18, 2025

Satellites picked up some wild action in December 2024—waves during Storm Eddie reached nearly 66 feet, the highest average ever recorded from space.
Thanks to satellites like SWOT, Sentinel-3, and Jason-3, scientists now have a much clearer picture of how powerful storms shape these monster waves.

Storm Eddie's waves traveled over 24140km

Storm Eddie peaked on December 21, 2024 and sent its waves over 24140km—from the North Pacific all the way to the tropical Atlantic by early 2025.
The big surprise? Most of the wave energy came from a single dominant peak, not just long swells as experts used to think.
These findings are helping improve forecasts for storm impacts and making coastal protection smarter for everyone.