There are three basic wave growth factors:
Although each of these factors is important to consider, they do not all have the same impact on wave height. Wave height is most sensitive to changes in wind speed, even when fetch or duration is limited. Therefore, when you’re looking for areas of significant wave generation, consider wind speed first, followed by fetch length and wind duration. This helps explains why accurate wind forecasts are so important to wave forecasts in marine meteorology and numerical modeling.