Generally, under what circumstances, the water surface has wind but no waves?

Generally, under what circumstances, the water surface has wind but no waves?
Thanks for your response！

 

When the wind is blowing in the same direction as the current, generally.

 

And about 12 feet long in the direction of the wind. "No" is an absolute, never ask questions in the absolute. Check out the Pierson–Moskowitz spectra.

 

Isn't it possible that wave is more influenced by the ground and terrain.

 

Never is an absolute. No one wants to hear never, ever.

 

That depends on the depth. For example, there are standing waves in rapids.

 

The most common is offshore wind or "no fetch". Fetch is the amount of water surface from the direction of the wind.

 

On small lakes with a bank of tree around them that can block the wind down low on the water and cause circulating waves of wind in the sails and surface of the water.
Here is no wind and no waves but some small zephyr astern to give us hope that we will not have to be sculling our way home.

 

.....Ice......?

 

I have seen windy days with only ripples on otherwise flat bay waters. I think steady winds may push surface waters around, but it takes gusts and harmonics to build waves.

Ocean waves and swells usually come from storms which represent a sudden change in surface pressure as the lows and highs move across the surface. Cyclonic motion beats on the water surface like a drumstick. Then those waves travel out and interact with other radiating waves from other systems. Local winds encourage waves that already have formed, like a driven harmonic system. They can also knock large tall waves over, which may also have a ripple effect.

-Will

 

This information is very helpful