What term describes the rise and fall of the ocean surface due to a distant storm?

The term that describes the rise and fall of the ocean surface due to a distant storm is "swell." Swell refers to the long-period waves generated by wind that is often far away from the area experiencing the wave motion. These waves travel across the ocean and can create patterns of rising and falling water that are more gradual, not directly influenced by the local wind.

In contrast, tide refers to the regular rise and fall of the sea level caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Surge denotes the sudden increase in water levels typically associated with weather events like storms and can be more abrupt and localized, differing from the flowing, undulating movement of swell. Wave, on the other hand, usually refers to the surface oscillations created by local wind, characterized by shorter periods and heights compared to swell. Thus, swell is the most accurate term to describe the phenomenon in question.