Wave four times as high as a double-decker bus spotted by scientists

It beats the previous record by nearly a metre

Oceanic waves dwarf the ones most people will see (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Scientists have observed a record-breaking wave that measured a towering 19m from crest to trough, beating the previous record by nearly a metre and reaching more than four times the height of a double-decker bus

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said it had been recorded by a Met Office buoy in the North Atlantic, between Iceland and the UK. The wave had been whipped up by 50mph winds in a "very strong" cold front, the WMO said.

Wenjian Zhang, its assistant secretary-general, called the huge height a "remarkable record".

Dr Zhang said: "It highlights the importance of meteorological and ocean observations and forecasts to ensure the safety of the global maritime industry and to protect the lives of crew and passengers on busy shipping lanes.

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

"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 height of a wave means the distance from its crest to the bottom of the trough of the next. This record-breaker was recorded on 4 February, 2013, the WMO said on Tuesday.

The WMO said: "The highest waves typically occur in the North Atlantic, rather than the Southern Ocean.

"Wind circulation patterns and atmospheric pressure in the North Atlantic in winter leads to intense extra-tropical storms, often so-called 'bombs'.

"This means that the area from the Grand Banks underwater plateaus off the Canadian coast around Newfoundland to south of Iceland and to the west coast of the UK, including the Rockall Trough, are prime candidates for wave records."