Edited and updated by Carol Hopper Brill & Chris Petrone.
Photo courtesy of NOAA.
Coastal Storm Data Activity #4: Surf's Up!
How do lows and their winds affect the ocean? As the wind shears across the water, it rubs against the sea surface, transferring energy and creating wind-driven waves. The stronger the wind is, the longer it blows, and the greater the fetch, or the distance over which it blows, all contribute to generating big waves. To see the impact of wind speed on waves we'll use a view of real-time wave data provided by Oceanweather Inc.
Data Activity & Discussion: Linking Winds and Waves
Go to Oceanweather, Inc.
- Click on Global View at the left
- Then, click Wave Graphics
- Where in the world are the largest waves today?
- Compare this view of Global Wave Graphics with the Global view of Marine Observations.
Now that you know how to find lows and read wind barbs: Do you see any relationship between the position and strength of a low, the wind speed and the occurrence of large waves?
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