The westerly winds around Antarctica blow over open water all the way round the globe, and the storms they drive build some of the biggest waves on Earth. This is the significant wave height once a day, from October 2025 to October 2026, seen from above the South Pole. In the southern winter the sea ice spreads north and the storm track grows stronger. The highest waves of the year in this view reach 15.5 m, south of Tasmania on 16 July 2026.
Source: Model: E.U. Copernicus Marine Service, Global Ocean Waves Analysis and Forecast (GLOBAL_ANALYSISFORECAST_WAV_001_027), daily at 12:00 UTC. Coastline: Natural Earth
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