Young Surfing Girl

Ocean surface wave
Swell is generated when wind blows consistently over a large area open water, called the wind's fetch. The size a swell is determined by the strength the wind and the length its fetch and duration. Because this, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to large expanses ocean traversed by intense low pressure systems.
Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since the surface a wave can become choppy in blustery conditions. Ideal conditions include a light to moderate "fshore" wind, because it blows into the front the wave, making it a "barrel" or "tube" wave.