Eastern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday 14th August)

Best Days: Later Sunday, Monday through Friday (at least) next week

Recap

The swell out of the E/NE persisted a little better than expected yesterday with sets hanging in there at 2-3ft, while today we've got some SE swell energy to 2-3ft.

This weekend and next week (Aug 15 - 21)

Currently a broad low is sitting just south-east of us, with a weak fetch of string E/NE winds feeding into its eastern flank.

We'll see this fetch project towards us tomorrow, kicking up a building and fairly weak E/SE swell along with increasing onshore E/SE winds. Surf to 2-3ft is mostly expected, but come Sunday and Monday our larger E'ly groundswell is due to fill in.

This will be generated by a strengthening of the low proper and a broadening fetch of E/NE gales projecting through our eastern swell window.

A rapid escalation in size should be seen through Sunday with step-ladder sets seen across open beaches.

Size wise we're still likely to see open beaches kicking to 8-10ft by close of play on Sunday but with strong onshore SE winds, shifting S/SW later afternoon as the low drifts south of us. This should open up options for experienced surfers late in the day.

Monday looks excellent with offshore W/SW tending N/NE winds and a rapid drop in E/SE groundswell from 6-8ft.

While the fetch of easterly winds move out of our swell window, an elongated infeed of NE winds through the Tasman Sea should produce some good reinforcing E/NE groundswell for Tuesday and Wednesday.

A kick in size through Tuesday should see open beaches build back to 4-6ft through the afternoon, then easing from a similar size Wednesday morning.

As the swell continues to ease Thursday, a new SE swell should be in the mix, generated by the southern flank re-intensifying and aiming a fetch of strong to gale-force E/SE winds towards us.

The surf doesn't look to drop below 3-4ft and winds will be favourable for most of the week and offshore.

Longer term there's plenty more swell on the way, but more on this Monday. Have a great weekend!