How to interpret Swell 1 and Swell 2?
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What is the difference between "Waves", "Swell 1" and "Swell 2"?
I planned to stay at ancor. Waves and Swell 1 told me "west", Swell 2 told me "east.
How do I interpret this to decide wether to spend the night at anchor here or not (bay on the east side of cape) -
Waves parameter is combination of Wind Waves and Swell.
- Wind Waves are generated from actual wind at your position.
- Swell consists of waves originated (also by wind) somewhere else.
Major wave coming from other place is called Swell 1.
Second largest wave is called Swell 2 and it probably originates at different place than Swell 1.
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As said by @TZ, Waves is the ‘combination’ and the ‘addition’ of Wind waves and Swells.
So on a boat, Waves is the main layer to consider.
In addition if Waves and Swell 1 are both west, you need to be protected on the west side.
Significant height of Swell 2 is less important and can be neglected.See additional information:
https://community.windy.com/topic/17449/swell?_=1673033522433 -
Swell is the collective term used to describe the long-period ocean waves that are generated by wind and other atmospheric forces. Swell 1 and Swell 2 refer to the two primary types of swell that are typically observed in coastal regions.
Swell 1 refers to the primary swell, which is typically the largest and most dominant of the two. It is characterized by a longer period (the time between successive wave crests) and a higher wave height (the distance from the crest of the wave to the trough) than Swell 2.
Swell 2, also called secondary swell, is typically smaller and less dominant than Swell 1. It is characterized by a shorter period and a lower wave height than Swell 1. It can be caused by a separate source of wind or weather system from the primary swell, or it can be the reflection of swell1 from a distant coast line.
When interpreting swell reports, you will generally be provided with information such as the swell height, the swell period, and the swell direction. Understanding this information, a surfer will decide which wave is the most suitable to surf, as they vary in size, direction and power.
