Powerful planetary wave takes aim at West Coast as El Nino rages

Scientists warned for months that the oceanic Kelvin waves associated with El Nino could bring higher sea levels and far-reaching impacts.

An oceanic Kelvin wave, a kind of slow-moving planetary wave that carries energy and warm water across vast distances, is arriving along the California coast, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

"Sea levels are going to be noticeably higher than usual," Swain said.

The wave comes amid a flurry of other oddities brought on by the strong El Nino: Warmer water temperatures along portions of the California coast, unusual sightings of sea life typically seen in warmer waters and a hyperactive hurricane season in the Pacific.

One hurricane after another is sending large swells from far offshore that are battering Southern California beaches with large waves and rough surf. The effects are compounded by climate change-induced sea level rise and the higher water levels arriving with El Nino. The last batch of swells coincided with king tides, seasonal high tides during full moons that are among the highest tides of the year.