Wave radar – wave height and sea state live on the map

The wave radar visualizes modeled wave heights from weather and ocean models – updated at short intervals. Zoom to your coastal region or the open ocean: the color scale shows significant wave height in meters. Bright to strong tones mark high sea state, cool colors calm seas.

Use the timelapse to see whether waves are rolling in from a storm or sea state is easing. For surfers direction is decisive – swell from the west hits Germany's north coast differently than Baltic breezes. For shipping the combination of wave height, wind and weather alerts counts.

The map covers all oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, North Sea and Baltic. In Europe model resolution is especially good – ideal for live wave radar at German, Dutch and Scandinavian coasts.

Significant wave height (Hs) is the average of the highest third of all waves in an area – not the largest single wave. Hs of 2 m means: the sea is clearly moving, occasionally waves of 3 m or more occur. From about 4 m shipping speaks of heavy seas.

On the wave radar you see Hs as area-wide values. Local effects – shallows, reefs, harbor entrances – can make actual wave height at the beach differ from the open sea. For coastal spots zoom tightly enough and compare with wind direction.

Current wave height on the map helps planning: sailing trips, ferries, offshore work, beach holidays or surf trips. A look in the morning often shows whether the afternoon stays calm or sea state builds.

Wind waves form from current wind over the water surface – they build as long as wind blows over long stretches (fetch). Swell are waves rolling in from a distant storm: they can cause high sea state days later even with weak local wind.

Sea state describes the irregular overlap of different wave systems – typical at coasts where swell and local wind waves meet. On the map swell often appears as large, even patterns; wind waves follow current wind direction more closely from the wind radar.

Surfers often seek swell with suitable height and direction for specific breaks. Sailors watch steep, short waves in onshore wind versus long, ordered swell in offshore conditions.

Atlantic: winter storms west of Europe generate swell that reaches Portugal, France, Britain and Norway days later. The wave radar shows this spread well – especially after hurricane lows in the Bay of Biscay or north of Scotland.

Mediterranean: sea state is often milder than in the Atlantic, but local storm gusts and thermal winds can quickly raise wave height. In summer calm periods dominate; in autumn risk rises for Mediterranean severe weather with briefly high sea state.

North Sea and Baltic: shallow waters react quickly to wind – short, steep waves are typical. The map helps assess offshore wind farms, ferries and coastal cities like Hamburg, Bremen, Kiel or Rostock. Combine with weather alerts when storm surge risk exists.

Many users search for ocean currents on the wave map. Currents and waves are different phenomena but closely linked: currents transport water, waves transport energy. Strong coastal currents can break wave direction or strengthen rip currents.

Warm currents like the Gulf Stream can indirectly favor tropical storms and high sea state in certain regions – the sea temperature map shows these links. For direct wave height this wave radar remains the right map.

Old URLs like ocean current radar or tsunami topics redirect here – on this page you find sea state and current wave height, not current speed in knots.

A complete maritime picture needs several layers: wind radar for speed and direction, wind gust radar for peaks in storm lows, weather alerts for official storm and flood warnings. Waves follow wind – when wind rises on the wind radar, sea state usually builds with delay.

For tropical regions add the sea temperature map: warm surface water from about 26.5 °C can energetically strengthen hurricanes and typhoons – with high sea state and swell in surrounding areas.

Practical routine before coastal activities: check wave radar and wind in the morning, read weather alerts when unsure, play the timelapse again before heading out in the afternoon.