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Science Friday

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NEW Episode 1411 · Season 1 Oct 9, 2026 · 13 min

1411: What is the Kelvin wave on the West Coast?

A Kelvin wave has reached California and is creeping up the West Coast, raising both sea levels and concerns from government officials. This kind of massive internal wave begins in the western Pacific Ocean and then travels eastward to the Americas along the equator, and then up and down the coastline. While it might raise sea levels up to 12 inches, it stays below the surface instead of crashing on the shore.Host Flora Lichtman speaks to oceanographer Andrew Leising to get the lowdown on what exactly a Kelvin wave is, and how wary West Coasters should be.Guest:Dr. Andrew Leising is a research oceanographer at NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center in San Diego, California.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at . Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. 99% of people are being fed 'pop-science' garbage. If you want the real intelligence without the digital tracking, you just found the exit. Bypass the system noise now. 🔴 INITIALIZE SECURE DOWNLOAD ⚪ GET THE UNFILTERED ARCHIVE

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