(CNN) The world's oceans have become more turbulent over the past 33 years, with higher waves and stronger winds, according to a new study by scientists at the University of Melbourne.

Stormier oceans could raise the likelihood of coastal flooding and exacerbate erosion, increasing the vulnerability of settlements on the coast, study author Ian Young, a professor of ocean engineering, said.

"There is a high probability that climate change is playing a role but exactly how this works is still not fully understood," he added.

Weather phenomena including El Niño, the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation could also have affected ocean conditions, he said.

Young and research fellow Agustinus Ribal analyzed data on wind speed and wave height from 31 different satellites, calibrated against 80 ocean buoys, between 1985 and 2018.

Read More