Typical Fields of Wind Waves and Swells in the Northern Pacific

Using all of the atmospheric patterns classified by Polyakova A.M., we accomplished calculations of the surface wind fields over the North Pacific for wind waves observable 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after a storm and the swell waves observable 24, 48, and 72 hours after a storm. The considerable extension of the ocean creates quasi-unlimited speeding up of the wind waves during continuous strong winds (over 20 meters per second). This determines the presence of wide areas of highly developed wind waves with a 5% probability that the wave heights will exceed the 10-12 meter estimates. The swell waves decay faster: their height reduces by half in 24 h, while, in 72 h, they achieve the background level of the ocean's swell waves.