Extreme High Swell Events on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast

2.0 About High Swell Events » 2.4 Swell Vs. Wind Wave Exercise

Review the information about the four systems, then answer the question below.

Systems

Wave direction

Wave period (seconds)

Wave height (meters)

Local wind direction

Local wind speed (kt)

1

Northwest

14

3.50

Southwest

15

2

West

04

2.00

West

20

3

Northwest

08

4.50

Northwest

30

4

Southwest

08

3.00

Variable

05

Question

Which are wind waves and which are swells? Select the correct answer.

Systems 1 and 4 have a different wave direction than the local wind and a relatively high period. Since they’re so different from the local wind, they were generated far from the observation zone and have moved via the propagation process.

Systems 2 and 3 have the same direction as the local wind so they are wind waves generated locally.

Please make a selection.