water level gauge—See tide gauge.

water level station—See tide station.

wave height—The vertical distance between crest and trough. See range of tide.

West Australian Current—An Indian Ocean current setting northward along the west coast of Australia.

West Greenland Current—A North Atlantic Ocean current setting northward along the west coast of Greenland.

West Wind Drift—Same as Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

wind drift—An ocean current in which only the Coriolis and frictional forces are significant. The wind drift embodies an Ekman spiral.