Definition: Fetch refers to the ocean area over which wind blows and swell is created. The bigger the fetch area, the more powerful the swell. For example: large, expansive wind storms produce more powerful waves than smaller, more localized wind events like hurricanes (which may have more wind speed). This is because wind blowing over greater ocean area has more space to push the ripples along the ocean surface and allows them to build onto other ripples, creating a stronger, more meaningful swell.
Examples: We didn't get much swell off Hurricane Mitch because its fetch was pretty minimal.
