If I were to mention the Roaring 40s and the Furious 50s, would you think I was talking about the 1940s and the 1950s? What about degrees of latitude?

Turns out, the roughest seas in the world are in the far northern and far southern latitudes. North of 40 degrees North Latitude (or south of 40 degrees South Latitude) the seas are typically quite high on a consistent basis. Why so rough way up there or way down there? Wind. Winds, of course, are the main drivers of the seas: typically, the higher the wind, the higher the sea. And the wind — why so strong? Consider the ice skater who increases his or her rotation when bringing their arms closer to their body. It’s a similar situation when comparing winds at the equator to winds closer to the poles. In addition, there are fewer friction sources (mountains) far to the north and far to the south, so the surface winds can whip around more or less unhindered. Even the ocean currents are relatively unfettered: they don’t have to bob and weave around land masses so they, too, are free to travel as fast as they care to. No surprise then that navigating (or habitating) these regions is a treacherous proposition. Here’s a quick look at some of the most notorious seas:

The Cape of Good Hope. The offshore waters near Africa’s Cape of Good Hope are littered with the wreckage of ships from centuries past. One such wreck off the coast of South Africa was less about the merging of two oceans and more about the fierce weather. Featured this past week on MSNBC’s “Dateline,” the captain of the cruise ship Oceanos made the fateful decision to leave safe harbor and venture into a strengthening storm. Of the nearly 600 passengers and crew onboard, not a soul was lost.

The MTS Oceanos listing heavily to starboard before sinking in 1991 off the coast of South Africa. Photo: Oceanossinking.com

The North Atlantic. When considering the roughest seas, experts look to the consistency of the rough seas, not to a lone (yet infamous) occurrence of dramatic seas or towering wave heights. Many consider the North Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts to be one of the fiercest ocean regions of the world. However, this is likely based on the reputation of 1991′s “Perfect Storm” when a nor’easter blew off the coast of New England and reached Category 1 hurricane status (one buoy reported a wave height exceeding 100 feet). Though powerful storms frequently move up the coast of the United States, this region of the world is not typically known for its consistently fierce waters.

“The Perfect Storm.” Photo: IMDb.com.

During the “perfect storm” of 1991, a Canadian buoy (point A) reported a wave height of 100.7 feet. Image: ImpactWeather’s Gmaps 2.0.

The Bay of Biscay. The waters west of France and north of Spain have a notorious reputation for fierce seas. As a quasi-depository for the Gulf Stream, the warm Gulf current mixes with the cool bay waters and turbulent conditions are common. Between 43 and 47 degrees North Latitude, the bay falls within the Roaring 40s. The unhindered Gulf Stream and frequent North Atlantic storms add to the consistency of the rough seas. It’s thought that these waters first gained such a reputation as immigrants began leaving Europe for America and Australia in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The North Sea. Smack in the middle of the Furious 50s, the North Sea is known for its consistently wild seas. Oil and exploration have placed thousands of workers at the mercy of the sea for decades, while new technology attempts to harness the power of the waves promising to keep the North Sea a hub of energy development.

Some of the toughest rigs in the world are found in the North Sea. Photo: Blog.Norway.com

The Drake Passage. The winner? Other areas such as Fastnet Rock (which recorded a wave height of 157 feet in 1985) and the Bass Strait (where the Indian and Pacific Oceans meet and are funneled between Australia and Tasmania) are certainly contenders for the title of World’s Roughest Sea. Most experts agree however, that the Drake Passage between southern South America and the Southern Ocean, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, takes the title for roughest sea. In addition, the unhindered Antarctic Circumpolar Current (the world’s largest ocean current) traverses the Drake — so that even if any of the other oceans are a bit off their game, the ACC upholds its duty and helps this passage maintain the title of World’s Roughest Sea. The earliest explorers told many a tale of the fantastic waters of the Drake. Today, more and more tourists take on the passage while further enhancing its already-solid reputation. Nudging south of 60 degrees South Latitude, the Drake Passage is part of the Furious 50s “and then some.” All the ingredients for consistently rough seas are in place: The meeting of oceans, squeezing between landmasses and consistently high wind speeds. Add in the ACC and the winner is clear. Gotta love the Drake.

At 55 degrees south Latitude, the Drake Passage is well within the Southern Hemisphere’s Furious 50s. Image: Wiki.

Blue sky and tranquil seas: Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. Photo: Wiki.

Where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean: The Cape of Good Hope, looking west. At 34 degrees south Latitude, it’s not far enough south to fall within the infamous Roaring 40s or Furious 40s. Photo: Wiki.

The Lighthouse at Fastnet Rock off the southern tip of Ireland. Photo: Wiki.

What’s going on today? If you’re interested in the weather forecast and sea conditions for the most active oil exploration and production regions around the globe, visit the Global Offshore Weather Report,  a 9-chapter video series produced daily by ImpactWeather and PennEnergy. Your favorite YourWeatherBlog contributors, Lauren and myself, are hosts. [Note: discontinued in 2011]