Swell Generation
Explore how storms, wind fields, fetch, distance, pressure systems, and ocean basins create the swells that eventually reach surfing coastlines.
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How Swells Are Generated in the South Atlantic
The South Atlantic is one of surfing’s most underappreciated swell engines. It doesn’t get the same attention as the North Atlantic hurricane corridor or the North Pacific winter…
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How Swells Are Generated in the North Atlantic
The North Atlantic is a wave-making machine. Storms sit where warm subtropical water meets cold polar air, fast jet streams, and long uninterrupted stretches of open ocean. When…
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How Swells Are Generated in the South Pacific
The South Pacific is one of the world’s great swell engines. A storm thousands of miles south of New Zealand can send long-period lines to Tahiti, Hawaii, California,…
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How Swells Are Generated in the North Pacific
North Pacific swell generation is one of the most important engines in global surf forecasting. A single winter storm south of the Aleutian Islands can send long-period swell…
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How Storms Generate Surfable Waves
Every surfable wave begins as wind energy moving across the ocean. A local breeze can kick up short, peaky waves, but the memorable swells that light up coastlines…