Russian Journal of Earth Sciences Russian Journal of Earth Sciences Russian Journal of Earth Sciences 1681-1208 6a9c15dd32807fdbab86e867 10.2205/2026es001107 dastnl ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАТЬИ ORIGINAL ARTICLES ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАТЬИ Statistics of Wave Heights, Crests, and Troughs During the Black Sea Storm in November 2023 Statistics of Wave Heights, Crests, and Troughs During the Black Sea Storm in November 2023 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4412-2483 Гармашов Антон Викторович Garmashov Anton Viktorovich garmashov@mhi-ras.ru https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9942-2796 Запевалов Александр Сергеевич Zapevalov Aleksander Sergeevich sevzepter@mail.ru

доктор физико-математических наук;доктор физико-математических наук;

doctor of physical and mathematical sciences;doctor of physical and mathematical sciences;

 Морской гидрофизический институт РАН Россия Marine Hydrophysical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Russian Federation Морской гидрофизический институт РАН Севастополь Россия Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences Sevastopol Russian Federation 18 09 2026 18 09 2026 26 3 ES3019 02 07 2025 02 03 2026 © 2026 Гармашов А.В., Запевалов А.С. © 2026 Garmashov A.V., Zapevalov A.S. 2026 Гармашов Антон Викторович, Запевалов Александр Сергеевич Garmashov Anton Viktorovich, Zapevalov Aleksander Sergeevich https://rjes.ru/en/nauka/publications/6a9c15dd32807fdbab86e867/view

The changes in the characteristics of freak waves during an extreme storm in the Black Sea in November 2023 were analyzed based on direct measurement data from a stationary oceanographic platform located off the southern coast of Crimea. The height of individual waves reached up to 7.2 m, with a maximum significant height of 3.7 m. The continuous three-day wave record was divided into 20-min fragments, for which statistical characteristics of the waves were calculated. Three types of abnormality indices were analyzed based on the excess of wave height, crest height, and trough depth over a given level. During the storm, all abnormality indices increased, indicating that the probability of freak wave occurrences was higher than under ordinary conditions. When the significant wave height exceeded 2 m, it was often observed that the trough depth was greater than the crest height.

The changes in the characteristics of freak waves during an extreme storm in the Black Sea in November 2023 were analyzed based on direct measurement data from a stationary oceanographic platform located off the southern coast of Crimea. The height of individual waves reached up to 7.2 m, with a maximum significant height of 3.7 m. The continuous three-day wave record was divided into 20-min fragments, for which statistical characteristics of the waves were calculated. Three types of abnormality indices were analyzed based on the excess of wave height, crest height, and trough depth over a given level. During the storm, all abnormality indices increased, indicating that the probability of freak wave occurrences was higher than under ordinary conditions. When the significant wave height exceeded 2 m, it was often observed that the trough depth was greater than the crest height.

 extreme storm freak waves crest trough abnormality index excess kurtosis Black Sea extreme storm freak waves crest trough abnormality index excess kurtosis Black Sea This work was completed within the framework of the state assignment on the topic FNNN-2024-0014 “Fundamental studies of interaction processes in the sea-air system that form the physical state variability of the marine environment at various spatial and temporal scales”. This work was completed within the framework of the state assignment on the topic FNNN-2024-0014 “Fundamental studies of interaction processes in the sea-air system that form the physical state variability of the marine environment at various spatial and temporal scales”.

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