The east coast of the United States is so oriented that high swell 

 waves from distant storms generally do not radiate toward it. On rare 

 occasions, however, a meteorological situation arises whereby the forward 

 progress of a deepening storm is temporarily blocked, and the low pressure 

 cell may be forced into an east-to-west elongation pattern. The pressure 

 gradient and subsequent strong winds over long fetch distances on the 

 north side of such a stagnated storm produces high waves and directs an 

 onslaught of successive high swell waves into the shore. A recent notable 

 example was the destructive storm of 5-9 March 1962 along the east coast 

 of the United States during which many places recorded a runup of waves 

 20 to 30 feet high for the period of surge accompanying this storm. 



In general, the east coast lightships (except Frying-pan Shoals Light- 

 ship) experience longer durations of favorable wave conditions than unfavor- 

 able wave conditions throughout the year, which reach a maximum during the 

 summer season when the Azores high is at its westernmost extension and 

 peak of influence. 



