Indian Ocean Basin analysis by Craig Brokensha (issued Tuesday 6th February)

This week through next (Feb 2 - 9)

Background levels of S/SW swell that are currently ebbing and pulsing across the region should be made the most of as the current outlook for the next two weeks is very slow.

The size will fade from Thursday, bottoming out into the weekend with small, background levels of mid-period SW swell due early-mid next week, easing into next Thursday.

From next weekend, the outlook remains slow with tropical activity expected to dominate the Indian Ocean with no substantial Southern Ocean activity. The mid-summer doldrums are real.

Conditions should remain favourable for the south magnets with morning W/NW-NW winds, freshening from the W/SW into the afternoons, lighter into next week. Across in the Ments variable winds are due over the coming period for the most part, freshening a little Friday afternoon and evening.

Across to the Maldives, easing levels of mid-period S’ly swell are being seen, with a new S/SW swell due later in the week, though local levels of NE windswell look to become more dominant.

This will be thanks to strengthening E/NE monsoon winds today, weakening a little later week before kicking back up again into the weekend. This unfortunately looks to be the dominant swell source for the period.

Eastern Indonesia:

Small, inconsistent mid-period S/SW swell today, tending more S tomorrow (3-4ft from Bali west, smaller to the east). Easing surf into the end of the week and weekend.

Small, inconsistent background SW swell for early-mid next week to 3ft+ on the magnets.

Weak W/NW-NW tending fresh W/SW winds over the coming days, weaker into the afternoons next week.

Uluwatu 16-day Forecast Graph/WAMs

Western Indonesia/Mentawais/South Sumatra:

Easing, small mid-period S/SW swell tomorrow, into the weekend. Small, inconsistent background S/SW swell for early-mid next week to 3ft on the magnets

Variable winds this period.

Mentawai 16-day Forecast Graph/WAMs

Maldives:

Easing mid-period S’ly swell tomorrow, with a small background swell to 2-3ft Thursday/Friday, easing into the weekend.

Weak NE windswell for the coming days, building again into the weekend and next week.

Strong E/NE winds, easing and tending more N/NE-NE into the end of the week, strengthening from the E/NE into the weekend.