Using the full wave approach, it is shown that for normal incidence the like-polarized backscatter radar cross sections of anisotropic rough seas depend on the direction of the electric field with respect to the orientation of the remotely generated swell. For normal incidence the full wave cross-polarized backscatter radar cross sections are also dependent on the surface height parameters and the orientation of the swell. These results suggest a method for the remote sensing of the surface height parameters of the swell and its orientation as well as the velocity of the local wind at the sea surface. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1989