Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Thursday 14th July)

Best Days: Friday morning, Sunday onwards for experienced surfers

This week and next (Jul 15 - 22)

A new inconsistent S/SW groundswell has filled in this morning with fun waves across most breaks, captured below by Bali Belly.

This swell is expected to ease into this afternoon, fading further from 3-5ft tomorrow morning, bottoming out Saturday.

From Sunday though our large pulses of SW groundswell are still on track with next week likely to be one of the best of the season.

Currently a strong and pronounced node of the Long Wave Trough is strengthening in the central south-eastern Indian Ocean.

This is the prime spot for south-west swell generation, and its protrusion north will help in regards to swell consistency and minimal swell decay.

An initial broad and strong polar front has already projected a fetch of gale to severe-gale SW winds towards us (right), and this will produce the first pulse of SW groundswell for Sunday.

This swell will build through the day from the 5-6ft range at exposed breaks through the morning, reaching a larger 8ft on the sets into the late afternoon/evening.

This swell will be reinforced by a secondary SW groundswell through Monday from a great secondary fetch of gale to severe-gale SW winds projecting north-east towards us today from the Heard Island region.

With this fetch moving over an already active sea state, larger 8-10ft sets are due through Monday when this pulse fills in, holding Tuesday morning.

The largest pulse of all will be generated by back to back fetches of SW-S/SW winds pushing quite far north up and towards us during Friday and Saturday.

A large consistent SW groundswell will be generated, but with a touch more south in it than the previous swells.

This swell will arrive through Tuesday morning and kick strongly through the afternoon to a larger 10ft+ on the sets across swell magnets, easing back from a similar size Wednesday morning.

Moderate to fresh E/SE trades are expected throughout the coming period, more variable each morning with local land breezes.

A gradual easing trend is due through the end of the week as trades weekend into Thursday and Friday, tending more variable.

Longer term some large long-period and inconsistent S/SW groundswell is on the cards for next weekend, but more on this Tuesday.

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