Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 18th December)
Best Days: Saturday morning, early Sunday for desperate surfers, Monday morning for keen surfers, Tuesday morning in protected spots
Recap
Tiny surf continued yesterday across the coast with light variable winds during the morning, while fresh sea breezes developed into the afternoon. Today the surf is the same but not as clean with the NE'ly already up and blowing. This wind will freshen into the afternoon kicking up a similar 1-1.5ft of NE windswell for later today.
This week and weekend (Dec 16 - 22)
Tomorrow will remain average with a tiny 1ft+ of NE windswell and freshen NE winds, while Friday and Saturday will see some more substantial NE windswell across north-east facing beaches as a northerly ridge strengthens down the coast.
North-east facing beaches should hover around a junky 2ft most of Friday with freshening N/NE winds, while a peak in size is expected Saturday morning to 2ft+. The Hunter and Cronulla will be smaller due to the sheltered nature of these spots from the NE swell.
Winds Saturday will improve, swinging light NW during the morning ahead of a shallow S/SE change, favouring southern corners.
Saturday's change should kick up a late increase in S'ly windswell Saturday that will then peak Sunday morning but ease from 2ft out of the S/SE across south facing beaches with light morning W'ly winds.
Longer term (Dec 23 onwards)
Heading into Christmas week we'll see new levels of NE windswell intoMonday again as another northerly ridge strengthens down the Southern NSW Coast Sunday evening. This ridge will be a touch stronger and should provide bigger 2-3ft waves into Monday morning before easing a touch during the afternoon and further Tuesday as a weak S'ly change pushes up the coast.
This change will again kick up a low quality 2ft or so of windswell for Tuesday afternoon before fading back Christmas Day from the 2ft max at south facing beaches from the S/SE. Light variable winds should provide OK waves for a morning paddle before E/NE sea breezes develop.
Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 18th December)
Best Days: Saturday morning, early Sunday for desperate surfers, Monday morning for keen surfers, Tuesday morning in protected spots
Recap
Tiny surf continued yesterday across the coast with light variable winds during the morning, while fresh sea breezes developed into the afternoon. Today the surf is the same but not as clean with the NE'ly already up and blowing. This wind will freshen into the afternoon kicking up a similar 1-1.5ft of NE windswell for later today.
This week and weekend (Dec 16 - 22)
Tomorrow will remain average with a tiny 1ft+ of NE windswell and freshen NE winds, while Friday and Saturday will see some more substantial NE windswell across north-east facing beaches as a northerly ridge strengthens down the coast.
North-east facing beaches should hover around a junky 2ft most of Friday with freshening N/NE winds, while a peak in size is expected Saturday morning to 2ft+. The Hunter and Cronulla will be smaller due to the sheltered nature of these spots from the NE swell.
Winds Saturday will improve, swinging light NW during the morning ahead of a shallow S/SE change, favouring southern corners.
Saturday's change should kick up a late increase in S'ly windswell Saturday that will then peak Sunday morning but ease from 2ft out of the S/SE across south facing beaches with light morning W'ly winds.
Longer term (Dec 23 onwards)
Heading into Christmas week we'll see new levels of NE windswell into Monday again as another northerly ridge strengthens down the Southern NSW Coast Sunday evening. This ridge will be a touch stronger and should provide bigger 2-3ft waves into Monday morning before easing a touch during the afternoon and further Tuesday as a weak S'ly change pushes up the coast.
This change will again kick up a low quality 2ft or so of windswell for Tuesday afternoon before fading back Christmas Day from the 2ft max at south facing beaches from the S/SE. Light variable winds should provide OK waves for a morning paddle before E/NE sea breezes develop.