Sea & Surf
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Sea & Surf maps on meteoblue provide information on ocean wave conditions, currents, salinity, ice cover, and water temperature. These maps are useful for marine navigation, surfing, and understanding large-scale oceanic patterns.
1. Wave Height
• Shows significant wave height (combined swells and wind waves) in metres (m).
• Wave direction is indicated by arrows.
• Can be combined with other maps such as Wind Animation.
• See: Sea Surface.
2. Wave Period
• Displays the period (time between crests) for swells and wind waves.
• Expressed in seconds (sec) and colour-coded according to the legend.
• See: Sea Surface.
3. Wave Peak Period
• Indicates the wave period with the highest energy in the total wave spectrum at a given point.
• Separate maps are available for wind waves and swells.
• Wind-wave dominated areas typically have shorter periods; swell-dominated areas have longer periods.
4. Ocean Currents
• Shows the speed and direction of ocean currents.
• Speed is measured in kilometres per hour (km/h) and direction is indicated by arrows.
• Ocean currents transport dissolved substances, gases, and heat across vast distances.
5. Sea Water Salinity
• Displays sea salinity in grams per kilogram (g/kg).
• Lower salinity occurs near freshwater inflows (e.g., glaciers, river mouths).
• Higher salinity occurs in regions with high evaporation and low precipitation (e.g., Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea).
6. Sea Ice Cover
• Indicates areas of ocean covered by ice.
• Yellow shading = strong ice cover; blue shading = weaker ice cover.
7. Water Surface Temperature
• Shows sea surface temperature (°C).
• Colours correspond to the map legend.
• Example: the cold Benguela Current flows northwards along southwest Africa.
