# Wind fetch

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Length of water over which a given wind has blown

Wave growth chart based on the formulas by Groen & Dorrestein[1]

In [oceanography](/source/Oceanography) **wind fetch**, also known as **fetch length** or simply **fetch**, is the length of water over which a given [wind](/source/Wind) has blown without obstruction.[2][3] Fetch is used in [geography](/source/Geography) and [meteorology](/source/Meteorology) and its effects are usually associated with [sea state](/source/Sea_state) and when it reaches shore it is the main factor that creates [storm surge](/source/Storm_surge) which leads to coastal [erosion](/source/Erosion) and [flooding](/source/Flooding).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] It also plays a large part in [longshore drift](/source/Longshore_drift).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*][*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*]

Fetch length, along with the [wind speed](/source/Wind_speed) (wind strength), and duration, determines the size ([sea state](/source/Sea_state)) of [waves](/source/Ocean_surface_wave) produced. If the [wind direction](/source/Wind_direction) is constant, the longer the fetch and the greater the wind speed, the more wind energy is transferred to the water surface and the larger the resulting sea state will be.[4] Sea state will increase over time until local energy dissipation balances energy transfer to the water from the wind and a fully developed sea results.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## See also

- [Gale](/source/Gale)

- [Sea state](/source/Sea_state)

- [Ocean surface wave](/source/Ocean_surface_wave)

- [Storm surge](/source/Storm_surge)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-groen_1-0)** Groen, P.; Dorrestein, R. (1976). ["Sea Waves"](http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b7b04553-10c1-4117-8b9a-b400843b5760). *Knmi Publicatie 11*. [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute](/source/Royal_Netherlands_Meteorological_Institute). Retrieved 10 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Fetch: Calculate Wind Fetch in fetchR: Calculate Wind Fetch"](https://rdrr.io/cran/fetchR/man/fetch.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Wave Formation"](https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/courses/atsc113/sailing/met_concepts/08-met-waves/8a-wave-formation/index.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Schumacher_4-0)** *November's fury* by Michael Schumaker University of Minnesota Press

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