A wind over waves coupling scheme to be used in a coupled wind waves--atmosphere model is described. The approach is based on the conservation of momentum in the marine atmospheric surface boundary layer and allows to relate the sea drag to the properties of the sea surface and the properties of the momentum exchange at the sea surface. Assumptions concerning the local balance of the turbulent kinetic energy production due to the mean and the wave-induced motions, and its dissipation, as well as the local balance between production and dissipation of the mean wave-induced energy allow to reduce the problem to two integral equations: the resistance law above waves and the coupling parameter, which are effectively solved by iterations. To calculate the wave-induced flux, the relation of Plant <1982> for the growth rate parameter is used. However, it is shown by numerical simulations that the local friction velocity rather than the total friction velocity has to be used in this relation, which makes the growth rate parameter dependent on the coupling parameter. It is shown that for light to moderate wind a significant part of the surface stress is supported by viscous drag. This is in good agreement with direct measurements under laboratory conditions. The short gravity and capillary-gravity waves play a significant role in extracting momentum and are strongly coupled with the atmosphere. This fact dictates the use of the coupled short waves-atmosphere model in the description of the energy balance of those waves. ¿ 1999 American Geophysical Union