Due to its southern location, Australia has experienced the effects of climate change more rapidly than other parts of the world—harsh storms and severe droughts have become more and more frequent over recent years. But one side-effect has some heading towards the beach: bigger and better waves.[social_buttons]

Research shows that waves measuring 9.8 feet or more have steadily increased over the past 45 years, but the change is most noticeable along the continent’s Southern coast. The same research linked the big waves with the change in the continent’s climate drivers, like the increasing length and severity of the north-side’s monsoon season.

“It’s been an above average winter, which came after good conditions last Christmas and New Year,” said Ben Horvath, who runs the Australian surfing website CoastalWatch.com. “We had eight low-pressure systems in five weeks it was incredible, a lot of people are comparing it to May ’74, which was the biggest recorded swell on the east coast.”

Surfers aren’t the only ones excited about the big waves. Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said the heavier surf could help in Australia’s plans for wave-generated power, but said the swells do not come without problems-in fact, surfers should appreciate the current Australian coast while it’s still around. “Large waves can also be destructive,” said Penny, adding that they can lead to “coastal inundation, erosion and the disturbance of marine habitats.”

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Photo Credit: Mike Baird on Flickr under Creative Commons license.

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