Monster six-storey wave sets world record

The Praia do Norte, north beach, outside the fishing village of Nazare in Portugal's Atlantic coast is famous for big waves. Photo / AP

The United Nations' weather agency today announced the highest wave on record - a monster that towered 19m above the North Atlantic.

Data sent back by a buoy showed a monster wave at 0600 GMT on February 4, 2013 at a remote spot between Britain and Iceland, the World Meteorological Organisation said.

"This is the first time we have ever measured a wave of 19 metres. It is a remarkable record," WMO deputy chief Wenjian Zhang said.

Taller than a six-storey building, the mighty wave occurred after a "very strong" cold front had barrelled through the area, producing winds up of 43.8 knots (81 km/h).

AFP reports the previous record height for a wave was 18.3m, notched up in December 2007, also in the North Atlantic.

Automated buoys are vital tools for oceanographers, sending back data on sea currents, temperatures and swells for seafarers, climate researchers and others.

"We need high quality and extensive ocean records to help in our understanding of weather/ocean interactions," said Zhang.

"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."

The North Atlantic, from the Grand Banks underwater plateau off Canada to south of Iceland and the west of Britain, is the world's biggest breeding ground for giant waves, AFP reports.

At wintertime, wind circulation and atmospheric pressure cause intense extratropical storms, often dubbed "bombs," the WMO said.

The height of a wave is defined as the distance from the crest of one wave to the trough of the next.

The UN agency occasionally reveals quirky weather-related milestones, like its September finding that an August 2012 lightning flash in France was the longest-lasting bolt ever recorded.