62-foot-high wave becomes highest ever recorded

There is a new titleholder for the highest wave ever recorded.

The World Meteorological Organization, or WMO, has announced in a recent news release that it now belongs to a 62.3-foot-high-wave which "was recorded by an automated buoy...on [February 4,] 2013 in the North Atlantic ocean between Iceland and the United Kingdom."

As such, the event has also been named "the highest significant wave height as measured by a buoy."

Related: NOAA Ocean Explorer sea creatures

Scientists have attributed the unprecedented swell to a cold front which had swept through the area and generated maximum winds of around 50 miles an hour.

Wenjian Zhang, an official with the WMO, is quoted as saying, "This is the first time we have ever measured a wave of 19 meters [62.3 feet]. It is a remarkable record."

He went on to state, "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."

The release explains that buoys such as the one that documented the event are part of an extensive system, along with ship and satellite-based monitoring, which help to provide ongoing updates about the seas.

The previous highest wave, which was recorded in 2007, was nearly 60-feet tall.