Basic Marine Weather
20
Complete definition of wind wave:
•Waves that are being acted upon by wind that is sufficiently strong, and in the correct direction, to cause the wave to grow in size, or maintain their maximum size for that wind. •“wind speed is equal to or faster than the wave speed”
If the wind can’t keep up with the wave, it can’t exert force on it!   This is also true if the wind is not blowing in the same direction that the wave is traveling.