South Australian Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 24th August)

Best Days: South Coast Friday through early next week, tiny Mid Coast waves for the period

Recap

Tiny clean waves across the Mid Coast yesterday to 1ft, while this morning similar sized waves were seen, mixed in with the odd 1.5ft bomb under offshore winds.

The South Coast was clean and glassy yesterday morning with good 3ft sets across most breaks with a new S'ly swell, while this morning a touch less size was seen along with lumpy but OK conditions under variable winds.

This week and weekend (Aug 25 - 28)

Tomorrow isn't looking too flash down South while the Mid is expected to continue around 1-1.5ft as distant levels of W/SW groundswell continue to fill in. Early variable winds may be see on the South Coast, increasing from the S'th through the mid-morning. The Mid should be clean early before winds swing S/SE into the afternoon.

Friday is looking much better down South with a new inconsistent SW groundswell from a strong polar low firing up east of Heard Island at the start of this week.

A peak is due through the morning, with inconsistent 3ft+ sets off Middleton and 1-1.5ft sets on the Mid, easing back through the afternoon and further Saturday morning.

A light W/NW breeze is due for most of the day down South favouring slightly protected spots, with variable tending light onshore winds across the South Coast.

The weekend will be great with persistent offshore winds for the South Coast, from the N/NW Saturday and N/NE Sunday.

The surf should steady Saturday with a small reinforcing W/SW swell to 2-3ft at Middleton and 0.5-1ft on the Mid, but a slight kick in new swell is due Sunday morning from a relatively weak polar front projecting towards us over the coming days.

A slight kick back to a better 3ft if not slightly bigger is due across Middleton with 4-5ft sets at Waits and Parsons.

Next week onwards (Aug 29 onwards)

Clean conditions will continue Monday with a strong but easing N/NE wind as an intense mid-latitude low moving in from the west weakens.

Of greater importance is a strong polar frontal progression forming south of us over the weekend, with a fetch of severe-gale to storm-force SW winds due to be projected north-east up towards Tassie.

This will generate a strong pulse of long-period S/SW groundswell for Tuesday, coming in around the 4ft range across most breaks with 4-5ft sets likely at Waits. Conditions are looking great with a N/NE offshore.

Longer term a very inconsistent long-range SW groundswell is due next Thursday, but more on this in the next update.