what causes freak waves?

Question

websites if possible, but if you just know, thats great too

Answer 1

Crossing the ocean at any given time are many different wave systems, generated in many different localities, moving in many different directions, each with its own wavelength and wave amplitude. When two wave systems pass through each other, there are moments when a crest of one wave system is superimposed upon a crest of another wave system, as they pass through each other. At this moment, the sixe of the resulting combined wave is additive, that is, the cross sectional area of the combined wave is equal to the sum of the cross sectional areas of the two individual waves. One theory of rogue waves or freak waves is that they result from the momentary coincidental superimposition of crests from a number of different wave systems, resulting in one short-lived wave, the size of which is the total of the sizes of all the individual waves whose crests are superimposed at that moment.

Answer 2

Additionally to the first answer:
Freak waves also occur often in areas where the prevailing (strong) winds blow contrarily to an (also strong) ocean current; especially if the current is also superimposed by remotely originated storm induced waves it results in very steep waves. A good example is the Agulhas Current off the african south-east coast.