How does wind speed affect ocean waves?

Wind speed is one of the primary factors in wave generation. Higher wind speeds transfer more energy to the water surface, creating larger waves with greater height and energy. The wave simulator shows how increasing wind speed progressively builds wave height and energy levels.

What is fetch distance and why does it matter?

Fetch is the uninterrupted distance over water that wind blows in a single direction. Longer fetch distances allow waves to develop more fully, increasing both wave height and wavelength. The simulator demonstrates how limited fetch restricts wave development even with strong winds.

When do ocean waves break?

Waves typically break when the water depth becomes too shallow relative to the wave height and wavelength. Generally, waves break when the depth is less than about 1.3 times the wave height. The simulator calculates and displays whether waves will break under the current conditions.

How does water depth affect wave behavior?

Water depth dramatically affects wave characteristics. In deep water, waves travel faster and maintain their shape. As waves enter shallow water (depth less than half the wavelength), they slow down, increase in height, and eventually break. The simulator shows these transitions in real-time.

Is this ocean wave simulator free to use?

Yes! This ocean wave simulator is completely free to use with no registration required. It's an educational tool designed to help students, researchers, and ocean enthusiasts understand wave physics and behavior under various conditions.

Ocean Wave Simulator - Free Interactive Wave Physics Tool

About This Free Tool

Welcome to our comprehensive Ocean Wave Simulator! This free interactive tool allows you to visualize and understand how ocean waves form and behave under different environmental conditions. Adjust parameters like wind speed, fetch distance, water depth, and wave period to see realistic wave dynamics in real-time. Perfect for students, educators, surfers, sailors, and ocean enthusiasts who want to understand the physics behind ocean waves.

How to use: Use the sliders below to adjust environmental parameters. The wave visualization updates in real-time, showing you how waves respond to changing conditions. Review the calculated wave characteristics to understand wave height, energy, speed, and breaking behavior. Toggle between metric and imperial units for your convenience.

Environmental Parameters

Wind Speed

15 m/s

Fetch Distance

100 km

Water Depth

1000 m

Wave Period

10 s

Wave Characteristics

Significant Wave Height

0.0 m

Wavelength

0.0 m

Wave Speed

0.0 m/s

Wave Energy

0.0 kJ/m²

Wave Steepness

0.00

Breaking Depth

0.0 m

⛵ Boat is sailing safely

Understanding Wave Parameters

Wind Speed: Higher wind speeds generate larger, more energetic waves
Fetch: Longer fetch allows waves to develop to their full potential
Water Depth: Shallow water slows waves and increases height; deep water allows free wave propagation
Wave Period: Time between successive wave crests; longer periods mean faster, longer waves
Wave Steepness: Ratio of height to wavelength; waves break when steepness exceeds ~0.14
Breaking Waves: Occur when depth is less than ~1.3 times wave height