Eastern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Steve Shearer (issued Wed 24th May)

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• NE windswell potential for Thurs under fresh NW winds tending fresh W'ly
• More small S swell pulses this weekend, biggest Sun
• Small S swell keeps coming into the medium term with W’ly winds,  more significant Thurs next week

Recap

More S swells wrapping in with yesterday seeing 2-3ft surf at S facing beaches, tiny elsewhere under light W’ly winds. Today has eased in size with 1-2ft of S swell showing at S facing beaches under NW winds. Tiny to flat elsewhere.

This week and next week (May24– June 2)

As we come to the end of  Autumn we’ve got a typical looking winter synoptic pattern unfolding with a dominant high drifting over NSW bringing settled conditions with a very active Southern Ocean storm track spawning a strong cold front which will impact the state on Thurs. Most of the swell generating winds are better placed for Victoria with only small S swell wrap for NETas. The front and an upper low are expected to form a surface low Fri off the Central NSW Coast, too far north to generate swell for NETas. 

In the short run and we’ll see NW winds freshen overnight and into tomorrow, with the possibility of some NE windswell into tomorrow as fresh NNW-NW winds off Bass Strait send some swell to NETas. Keep expectations pegged low but we may see some 2-3ft surf early easing through the day with strong NW winds tending strong W’ly as the front passes over the state.

Cold W’lies persist into Fri with a low point in surf size expected- basically tiny/flat surf groomed flat by fresh W’ly winds, easing during the day.

We should see a little more action over the weekend as a deep, complex low moving under the state sends some small S swell wrap around the Island. W’ly winds continue through Sat, possibly tending W/NW to NW through the day with a few sets to 2ft at S facing beaches during the day.

Major low pressure under the state sends some small S swell wrap in this weekend, biggest Sunday

More size is expected Sun with sets to 3ft on offer at S facing beaches and continuing fresh W’lies on offer.

Into next week and the wintry pattern continues with a large high pressure belt moving in across Australia and more frontal activity to the south.

This is all zonal so only minor levels of S swell are expected to wrap into NETas, likely 1-2ft at best through Mon-Wed with a continuing W’ly flow.

A stronger front Thurs looks to supply S swell into the 3ft range Thurs, easing Fri at this stage.

Following that, high pressure moves into the Tasman, at winter latitudes, with a possibility of some NE windswell first week of Winter.

Check back Fri and we’ll see how thats shaping up.