Eastern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Guy Dixon (issued Christmas Day Friday 25th December)

Best Days: Saturday at open beaches, then protected southern corners following the change.

Recap: 

Small surf across the open beaches on Thursday as a northeasterly swell builds. Conditions remained clean for the early, but the swell generating breezes also had an impact locally, dragging down the quality. Today, the swell has continued to increase and is now providing large peaks across the open beaches. A fresh north/northeasterly breeze is getting stuck in, so protected northern corners are the only options with considering.

This weekend (Boxing Day Saturday 26th - Sunday 27th):

A much anticipated northeasterly swell which has been building steadily today is likely to peak early on Boxing Day, with options in the 6ft range breaking across the open beaches.

This northeasterly swell is due to steadily fade throughout the afternoon as the main swell generating fetch is excluded by a southerly change moving through.

It’s this southerly change which we are looking forward to most however, as winds look to tend offshore for a period as it moves through. Models suggest breezes to drop and tend wester from mid morning, until early-mid afternoon. 

We have the potential to see great waves across the open beaches, assuming westerly breezes have enough strength and time to iron out any bumps.

Once the southerly moves through, protected southern corners and points will be the pick of the bunch as the last of the northeasterly swell fills in.

The southerly change and a small core fetch associated are also expected to whip up a small amount of southerly swell for the afternoon and Sunday morning to around 2-3ft, although like bumpy and wind affected. 

Open beaches should still be seeing workable 1-2ft peaks out of the northeast under a southeasterly breeze, easing in the afternoon. 

Next week (Monday 28th onward):

Make the most of the weekend, especially if you were lucky enough to pick up a new sled for Christmas as the forecast for the best part of next week looks tiny.

Small hints of south/southeasterly and east/northeasterly background energy should provide small and subtle ebbs and pulses between 1-2ft.

If you are hoping to get wet next week, pencil in the early mornings as winds look to be light/variable preceding a seabreeze each afternoon. 
 

Merry Christmas, happy holidays.