LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

• Describe the basic principles of ocean waves (Basic principles of ocean waves). 

• List and describe the properties that all waves have in common (Properties of waves).

• Define additional terms used in sea surface forecasting (Definitions of Other Terms). 

• Explain wave spectrum in terms of wave frequency, energy, and wind speed (Wave Spectrum). 

To accurately forecast sea conditions it is necessary to understand the process of wave development, the action that takes place as the energy moves, and to have an understanding of the various properties of waves. In this section, we will discuss this background information and the terminology used. A complete understanding of these terms is necessary to produce the most usable and accurate sea condition forecast.