What Is Fetch?
The distance wind travels over open water. The longer the fetch, the bigger the waves and the heavier the lake-effect snow. In technical terms: The unobstructed distance over water across which wind blows with roughly constant direction; wave height and lake-effect heat and moisture fluxes increase with fetch, and fetches over about 100 km favor intense lake-effect bands.
Fetch In Plain English
The distance wind travels over open water. The longer the fetch, the bigger the waves and the heavier the lake-effect snow.
The Technical Definition
The unobstructed distance over water across which wind blows with roughly constant direction; wave height and lake-effect heat and moisture fluxes increase with fetch, and fetches over about 100 km favor intense lake-effect bands.
Lessons That Use Fetch
- Lake-Effect Snow And Nor'easters Unit 11: Winter Weather
