Articles | Volume 7, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1779-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1779-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 16 Sep 2026
| 16 Sep 2026
Meteorological drivers of extreme swells on the Peruvian coast
Gonzalo Agurto Barragán
División de Meteorología Marina, Departamento de Oceanografía, Dirección de Hidrografía y Navegación, Marina de Guerra del Perú, Callao, 07021, Perú
Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, 28040, Spain
Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, 28040, Spain
Instituto de Geociencias (IGEO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universidad Complutense de Madrid (CSIC–UCM), Madrid, 28040, Spain
Ricardo García-Herrera
Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, 28040, Spain
Instituto de Geociencias (IGEO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Universidad Complutense de Madrid (CSIC–UCM), Madrid, 28040, Spain
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Short summary
Large swells can travel thousands of kilometers and impact the Peruvian coast. Using Peruvian Navy warnings and ERA5 reanalysis, we compared extreme swells from the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. In both cases, a deep Pacific storm aligned with a strengthened jet stream sustained strong winds over swell-generation regions, directing wave energy toward Peru. Southern Hemisphere events reach higher intensity, and show a recent wind strengthening, unlike the North Pacific.
Large swells can travel thousands of kilometers and impact the Peruvian coast. Using Peruvian...
