Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Thursday 7th April)

Best Days: Swell magnets Friday and Saturday, later Monday through Wednesday, next weekend

This week (Apr 4 - 8)

After a good strong pulse of S/SW groundswell later Sunday and Monday, wave heights have eased back slowly over the last couple of days, with swell magnets the only option for a decent wave. Light variable winds have favoured these locations though.

Background levels of S/SW swell are keeping these swell magnets around 3-4ft+, and we should see the size hold tomorrow and Saturday morning before really fading into the weekend.

Light offshore winds each morning should create clean conditions with weak trades into the afternoon.

Our average run of surf will continue into next week, with an upper level blocking pattern that's setup west of Western Australia keeping a lid on any major swell producing storms, while also steering them away from our prime swell window.

What we'll have to rely on is unfavourably aligned and late forming polar fronts firing up on the edge of our southern swell window, with this currently taking place now, continuing through tomorrow and Saturday.

The inconsistent S/SW groundswell from these fronts should build through Monday, reaching an inconsistent 3-4ft+ across south swell magnets into the evening, holding Tuesday around 3-5ft and then easing back through Wednesday and Thursday.

Due to the southerly direction of the swell and limited size, the Bukit reefs aren't due to see much size at all, while locations further to the east will also be shadowed by Western Australia.

Conditions are looking favourable for these inconsistent S/SW groundswell pulses, with variable tending light offshore winds each morning and weak afternoon E/SE trades.

Longer term, a strong and slow moving polar frontal system firing up in our far swell window, south-east of South Africa is due to produce a moderate sized SW groundswell for Sunday week.

The size at this stage looks to be between 5-6ft, but keep an eye out for more details in the following update.

16 day Bali Forecast Graph
16 day East Java Forecast Graph
16 day Sumbawa Forecast Graph