Giant wave

Seas were rough at the time with an intense depression to the north creating a strong gale with prolonged strong westerly to northwesterly winds at the station.

The same weather system resulted in a storm affecting the Hebrides with extensive powercuts and disrupted ferries, schools and transpor

The previous record of 18.275 metres was measured on 8 December 2007, also in the North Atlantic.

The WMO classifies it as “the highest significant wave height as measured by a buoy.”

WMO assistant secretary-general Wenjian Zhang said: “This is the first time we have ever measured a wave of 19 metres.

“It is a remarkable record. It highlights the importance of meteorological and ocean observations and forecasts to ensure the safety of the global maritime industry and to protect the lives of crew and passengers on busy shipping lanes.”

Dr Zhang added: “We need high quality and extensive ocean records to help in our understanding of weather/ocean interactions.

“Despite the huge strides in satellite technology, the sustained observations and data records from moored and drifting buoys and ships still play a major role in this respect.”

Wave height is defined as the distance from the crest of one wave to the trough of the next. The term “significant wave height” means the average of the highest one-third of waves measured by an instrument, and is comparable to what an observer would see as an average of about 15-20 well-formed waves over a period of about 10 minutes.

The highest waves typically occur in the North Atlantic, rather than the Southern Ocean.

Wind circulation patterns and atmospheric pressure in the North Atlantic in winter leads to intense extra-tropical storms, often so-called "bombs."

This means that the area from the Grand Banks underwater plateaus off the Canadian coast around Newfoundland to south of Iceland and to the west coast of the UK, including the Rockall Trough, are prime candidates for wave records.

Giant wave off Western Isles is new world record

15 December 2016

The highest wave recorded by a buoy has been recorded in the seas off the Western Isles.

The 19 metre tall wave occurred in open water 250 miles west of Lewis on 4 February 2013.

A separate record - that of the highest significant wave height as measured by observers on a ship - was measured in February 2000 in the Rockall Trough.

The buoy which recorded the 2013 roller is part of the Met Office’s network of marine automatic weather stations.

Now the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed the wave is the biggest to be measured by an automated ocean buoy.