Meet the world’s biggest waves — and the mysteries behind them
Science News Explores · 2026-08-27
German surfer Sebastian Steudtner set a new world record for the tallest wave ever surfed on October 29, 2020, at Nazaré, Portugal, riding a 26.21-meter (85.99-foot) wave. He may have surpassed this in February 2024 with an estimated 28.57-meter (93.73-foot) wave, gauged by Porsche-designed drone tech, though this is not yet formally confirmed. Nazaré is known for its exceptionally large waves, typically 15 to 20 meters (50 to 65 feet) tall, due to a 210-kilometer (130-mile) undersea canyon that amplifies incoming waves.
Beyond surfing, the article highlights other massive waves: tsunamis, like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (up to 30 meters/98 feet tall, killing over 200,000) and the 2011 Japan tsunami (triggering a meltdown and killing 18,000); and rogue waves, defined as at least twice the average height of surrounding waves. The first scientifically observed rogue wave, the Draupner Wave, was 25.6 meters (84 feet) tall, hitting an oil platform in 1995. Rogue waves can also be deadly, as in 2010 when three smaller rogue waves caused two deaths on a cruise ship. Scientists are still studying how rogue waves form, with theories including constructive interference and "second-order" effects where waves collide. The largest wave ever recorded occurred in Lituya Bay, Alaska, in 1958, a 524-meter (1,720-foot) megatsunami caused by an earthquake-induced rockslide, which created a new treeline.
The full article also explores different types of waves and their scientific importance across various fields.