Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 27th November)
Best Days: Thusday morning, early Friday for small waves, Sunday morning, Monday
Recap
A medium to large but relatively weak S/SE swell peaked yesterday morning coming in at 4-6ft across south swell magnets and a smaller 3-4ft at open beaches around Sydney, with larger surf on the Hunter and smaller waves around Wollongong. S/SW winds favoured semi-protected spots most of the day, with a touch more S/SE in the wind through the afternoon.
Today a stronger SE groundswell pulse is filling in across the Southern NSW coast and we should see most spots picking up inconsistent 3-5ft waves through this afternoon as the swell peaks. Straight offshores created great surf this morning, while E/NE sea breezes shouldn't do too much damage this afternoon.
This week (Nov 27-29)
Today's pulse of SE groundswell was generated by a fetch of SE gales projecting towards us from the tip of New Zealand's South Island on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. This swell will peak mid-late afternoon and from here on we should see a slow drop in size as a result of the low in the Tasman Sea decaying away.
In saying this, even this morning a fetch of strong SE winds were still being aimed at us (pictured right) and this should keep 3ft+ sets hitting open beaches tomorrow morning before dropping into the afternoon and further from 1-2ft or so Friday morning (with a similar sized and easing NE windswell).
Conditions will be clean early tomorrow with a light NW'ly but this will quickly succumb to fresh NE sea breezes. Friday will then see a shallow S/SE change moving through with early S/SW winds around dawn.
This weekend (Nov 30 onwards)
There'll be plenty of swell over the weekend out of the south as a couple of strong cold fronts push up from below Tassie and into the Tasman Sea.
An initial change on Friday will kick up a moderate but weak short-range S'ly swell Saturday, but come Sunday a stronger S'ly groundswell is due off the fetch extending all the way down the East Coast past Tassie (pictured right). This should peak during the day to 2-3ft at open beaches and 3-5ft at south facing locations.
Winds Saturday will be poor and from the S/SW to SE, but Sunday looks better with a morning SW'ly ahead of E'ly sea breezes.
Longer term, and another good pulse of S'ly groundswell is due Monday afternoon but we'll look at this again Friday.
Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 27th November)
Best Days: Thusday morning, early Friday for small waves, Sunday morning, Monday
Recap
A medium to large but relatively weak S/SE swell peaked yesterday morning coming in at 4-6ft across south swell magnets and a smaller 3-4ft at open beaches around Sydney, with larger surf on the Hunter and smaller waves around Wollongong. S/SW winds favoured semi-protected spots most of the day, with a touch more S/SE in the wind through the afternoon.
Today a stronger SE groundswell pulse is filling in across the Southern NSW coast and we should see most spots picking up inconsistent 3-5ft waves through this afternoon as the swell peaks. Straight offshores created great surf this morning, while E/NE sea breezes shouldn't do too much damage this afternoon.
Today's pulse of SE groundswell was generated by a fetch of SE gales projecting towards us from the tip of New Zealand's South Island on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. This swell will peak mid-late afternoon and from here on we should see a slow drop in size as a result of the low in the Tasman Sea decaying away.
In saying this, even this morning a fetch of strong SE winds were still being aimed at us (pictured right) and this should keep 3ft+ sets hitting open beaches tomorrow morning before dropping into the afternoon and further from 1-2ft or so Friday morning (with a similar sized and easing NE windswell).
Conditions will be clean early tomorrow with a light NW'ly but this will quickly succumb to fresh NE sea breezes. Friday will then see a shallow S/SE change moving through with early S/SW winds around dawn.
There'll be plenty of swell over the weekend out of the south as a couple of strong cold fronts push up from below Tassie and into the Tasman Sea.
An initial change on Friday will kick up a moderate but weak short-range S'ly swell Saturday, but come Sunday a stronger S'ly groundswell is due off the fetch extending all the way down the East Coast past Tassie (pictured right). This should peak during the day to 2-3ft at open beaches and 3-5ft at south facing locations.
Winds Saturday will be poor and from the S/SW to SE, but Sunday looks better with a morning SW'ly ahead of E'ly sea breezes.
Longer term, and another good pulse of S'ly groundswell is due Monday afternoon but we'll look at this again Friday.