# Windswell

> Swell made by wind close to the coast.

**What "windswell" means in surfing:** Swell made by wind close to the coast. Windswell has a short period, so the waves are weaker, closer together and less organised than groundswell.

**Category:** Conditions

## Related words

- [Groundswell](https://surfslang.com/groundswell): Swell made by distant storms that has travelled a long way across the ocean.
- [Choppy](https://surfslang.com/choppy): The surface of the water is rough with small, wind-driven bumps, making waves harder to ride.

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Source: [Windswell](https://surfslang.com/windswell) on Surfslang.com, the surf slang glossary. Full glossary: https://surfslang.com/llms.txt