Hokusai Size Waves Predicted 56ft or 17 meters

[Steadman Uhlich]

Waves 56 feet (17m) high or taller predicted in storm!
Hokusai was not exaggerating.

EXCERPT
"A rapidly developing storm low is forecast off the coast of Japan January 22nd-23rd with storm to hurricane-force winds and significant wave heights to 17 meters, or about 56 Feet.

Last October, a hurricane-force low-pressure system in the northwestern Pacific Ocean generated massive heights which measured in at over 17.6 meters (that’s nearly 58 feet!).

The highest significant wave height ever recorded was 19 meters (62.3 feet!), as measured by a buoy in the North Atlantic in 2013 and confirmed as a new world record in 2016 by the World Meteorological Organization.

Keep in mind, significant wave height is the average height of the highest one-third of waves, so individual wave heights are likely much taller!"

Gigantic 17-Meter Significant Wave Heights Forecast for NW Pacific Ship Lanes – gCaptain

[TJ D]

oops, double post

[TJ D]

Welcome to my world, friend! This kind of stuff is all too common out here in the wild west. (I'm writing this while underway at 54N 163W, it's blowing 50 currently-just another day at the office).

Seriously, though, we encounter this kind (or very near it) of weather on a regular basis out here. I remember fishing in the Aleutians one October/November, and we had at least 4 F12 storms in that time.

I remember that the NWS sort of gave up on forecasting wave height, and just said 'seas greater than 45 feet' in a couple of the forecasts. This was accurate!

BTW, I think that the painting is of a tsunami, no?

[wolfgal]

thanks for posting Steady.

following...

[Steadman Uhlich]

TJ,
I respect your professional experience and your sailing experience.

The conditions where you are at sea can be extreme, and it is good to hear first hand accounts of what it is like there. Thank you for sharing here on CF. I often read your comments with interest.

______

Why did I post the Hokusai "Great Wave" image?

For more than 40 years I have thought the Hokusai depiction of a wave was exaggerated or fanciful or simply an artist's impression and unreal. I added it to this post because I think it is widely recognized, and it shows something that would be a good image for scale of the forecasted waves. And for fun.

Years ago I also thought the Hokusai print represented a tsunami.

But I now believe that is an incorrect assumption, because in recent years I have read about rogue waves and significant waves. The forecasted waves of 56 feet would be close to the scale of the wave in the Hokusai image, and would be caused by a storm off Japan, not an earthquake. So, from now on I will see this famous woodblock print differently, and that is my reason for sharing it too.
________

More on the Hokusai print image, from Wikipedia :

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏 Kanagawa-oki nami ura, "Under a wave off Kanagawa"), also known as The Great Wave or simply The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833[1] in the late Edo period as the first print in Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It is Hokusai's most famous work, and one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art in the world.

The image depicts an enormous wave threatening boats off the coast of the town of Kanagawa (the present-day city of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture). While sometimes assumed to be a tsunami, the wave is more likely to be a large rogue wave.[2] As in all the prints in the series, it depicts the area around Mount Fuji under particular conditions, and the mountain itself appears in the background."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_...e_off_Kanagawa

[danielamartindm]

For some interesting reading, do a search of "rogue waves." These statistical certainties, I think, are responsible for many "incidents" at sea. As in boxing, it's the blows you never see coming that are the most damaging.

[TJ D]

Originally Posted by danielamartindm

For some interesting reading, do a search of "rogue waves." These statistical certainties, I think, are responsible for many "incidents" at sea. As in boxing, it's the blows you never see coming that are the most damaging.

The European Space Agency did a global satellite survey of sea heights fairly recently. They found a ton of seas of over 100' (iirc, huge in any case) in what was really just a snapshot.

It's funny, until quite recently, the scientific community refused to believe the ignorant, superstitious seamen who would tell stories of huge seas appearing occasionally.

Then, a sea of 91' was scientifically measured off an oil rig, and it was slowly, grudgingly accepted by the pocket protector crowd that there might be something to this rogue wave thing.

Finally, the satellite data revealed them to be entirely commonplace.

It sucks when you occupy the same space as one of these. A few years ago, I had a freak wave smash through one of the bridge windows, completely demolishing everything up here. That one cost about a million bucks and added several gray hairs.

[TJ D]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

TJ,
I respect your professional experience and your sailing experience.

The conditions where you are at sea can be extreme, and it is good to hear first hand accounts of what it is like there. Thank you for sharing here on CF. I often read your comments with interest.

______

Why did I post the Hokusai "Great Wave" image?

For more than 40 years I have thought the Hokusai depiction of a wave was exaggerated or fanciful or simply an artist's impression and unreal. I added it to this post because I think it is widely recognized, and it shows something that would be a good image for scale of the forecasted waves. And for fun.

Years ago I also thought the Hokusai print represented a tsunami.

But I now believe that is an incorrect assumption, because in recent years I have read about rogue waves and significant waves. The forecasted waves of 56 feet would be close to the scale of the wave in the Hokusai image, and would be caused by a storm off Japan, not an earthquake. So, from now on I will see this famous woodblock print differently, and that is my reason for sharing it too.
________

More on the Hokusai print image, from Wikipedia :

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏 Kanagawa-oki nami ura, "Under a wave off Kanagawa"), also known as The Great Wave or simply The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833[1] in the late Edo period as the first print in Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It is Hokusai's most famous work, and one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art in the world.

The image depicts an enormous wave threatening boats off the coast of the town of Kanagawa (the present-day city of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture). While sometimes assumed to be a tsunami, the wave is more likely to be a large rogue wave.[2] As in all the prints in the series, it depicts the area around Mount Fuji under particular conditions, and the mountain itself appears in the background."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_...e_off_Kanagawa

Interesting. Thanks for the clarification. And the compliments.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by TJ D

The European Space Agency did a global satellite survey of sea heights fairly recently. They found a ton of seas of over 100' (iirc, huge in any case) in what was really just a snapshot.

It's funny, until quite recently, the scientific community refused to believe the ignorant, superstitious seamen who would tell stories of huge seas appearing occasionally.

Then, a sea of 91' was scientifically measured off an oil rig, and it was slowly, grudgingly accepted by the pocket protector crowd that there might be something to this rogue wave thing.

Finally, the satellite data revealed them to be entirely commonplace.

It sucks when you occupy the same space as one of these. A few years ago, I had a freak wave smash through one of the bridge windows, completely demolishing everything up here. That one cost about a million bucks and added several gray hairs.

Yes. Thanks fir adding very that too. Good comment addded to the topic.

I read about the 100 foot waves, and while I have never seen one, and hope I never do, I believe the data that proves they do exist, and are found around the world.

[Delancey]

https://www.flowavett.co.uk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h9N7iMyLEJA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WffR6HrEqTA

Plus a little Bansky meets Hokusai for your viewing pleasure.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by danielamartindm

For some interesting reading, do a search of "rogue waves." These statistical certainties, I think, are responsible for many "incidents" at sea. As in boxing, it's the blows you never see coming that are the most damaging.

Yes, it is a fascinating topic. I have enjoyed reading about them for years.
And I agree that they could cause boat and ship lossses, and have been reported to do so.

[Steadman Uhlich]

To DELANCEY,

Thanks for posting the videos. The Flowave tank video is impressive!

And I got a chuckle from the clever street art.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Thanks to a fellow sailor, John, for sharing this cartoon.

[Jimmy4Jesus]

I'm glad my wife does not read this forum. I would never get her on the boat :-)

[Hunky Dory]

Just seen weather channel. They reported waves over 60 ft high on Thursday Jan 18th in Toffino British Columbia, Canada