NYT: What’s a Kelvin wave, and what does it mean for California?

In the coming days, sea levels off Southern California are expected to begin rising by half a foot or more and then stay elevated for months, as an enormous pulse of wave energy generated by El Niño travels up the coast, lifting the water as it goes. The pulse, known as a Kelvin wave, will boost the ocean’s height across an area extending 12 to 18 miles offshore. It is coming on top of several other factors that are raising the seas off California and increasing the threats from coastal flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion. PBS ARTICLE