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Weather & Water

Wave period

Technical visualWave height and period
Wave height and periodTwo wave trains have similar height but different spacing between crests.SHORTER PERIODLONGER PERIOD
Wave height and periodTwo wave trains have similar height but different spacing between crests.121SHORTER PERIOD2LONGER PERIOD
Height is vertical; period is the time between successive crests passing a fixed point.

Time in seconds between successive wave crests.

For the same wave height:

shorter-period waves are generally steeper

longer-period waves are generally more widely spaced

Height alone therefore does not describe the full sea state.

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