Swell Meaning in Surfing

A swell consists of a series of waves traveling through the deep ocean. These waves are created by distant storms and move across the sea surface. Swells become more organized and clean as they travel away from the wind. Surfers wait for a swell to arrive at the coast to begin surfing. The period of a swell describes the time between each individual wave peak. A long period swell usually produces much larger and more powerful surf breaks. A surfer checks the swell forecast before heading out to the local beach. Large swells can travel thousands of miles across the globe before hitting land. One person sees a new swell hitting the outer buoys on the map. Swells provide the energy that makes the sport of surfing possible for everyone.