Basic Marine Weather
50
What’s the Difference?
•Consider:
•-  Strong 25-30kt winds generating a 6 ft wind wave.
•-  Meanwhile, 5 ft swell at 15 seconds is coming from the W.
•
•Now using 4 parameters:
-Read as “Wind waves 6 ft.  West swell 5 ft at 15 seconds.”
-Paints a much different picture.  Wind waves are likely going to be less than 7 seconds in period.
-Therefore, the waves will be quite steep!