1 day Ago By John Wheeler
FARGO — The northern coasts of the Hawaiian Islands are world-renowned for their remarkable waves during winter. From October through April, huge storms in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea frequently develop winds of hurricane force. Those winds follow the storms, but the waves spread out in all directions and, when conditions are right, travel the 2,000 miles south to Hawaii.
The shape of the sea bottom makes these famous waves of Waimea Bay. As the ocean floor suddenly goes from very deep to shallow near the north shore of Oahu, the waves are forced upwards into the air, reaching heights of 50-70 feet or more. As the waves become extremely tall, their dynamics become chaotic.
The waves break, curl and collapse. These waves are sought out by daredevil surfers from around the world. On the southern side of the islands, locations such as Honolulu do not get these big winter waves.
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