South Australian Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday 25th August)

Best Days: South Coast Saturday, South Coast Monday morning, Tuesday morning, Wednesday morning, Thursday, Friday

Recap

Average waves across both coasts yesterday with onshore winds and 1-1.5ft of swell on the Mid, bigger down South but bumpy and choppy.

This morning both coasts have cleaned up with a tiny 1ft of swell on the Mid, while Middleton was back to a smaller 2ft+. We should see some new SW swell build this afternoon as winds hold from the W/NW.

This week and weekend (Aug 26 – Sep 1)

Later today's increase in SW groundswell will be linked to a good pre-frontal fetch of W/NW gales moving through our swell window the last couple of days.

This swell should peak tomorrow morning around 3-4ft across Middleton, with 1-1.5ft sets on the Mid Coast.

A much better and stronger S/SW groundswell will arrive through the mid-afternoon, produced by a broader, elongated and stronger fetch of polar W/SW gale to severe-gale winds.

Satellite observations of this fetch look great and we should see Middleton pulsing to a larger 5ft+ by dark, easing back from 4-6ft Sunday morning. The Mid Coast should also ease from 1-1.5ft.

Now winds have done a wobbly on us. Our offshore winds now look poor Sunday, with tomorrow seeing NW tending W/NW breeze, while a strong polar front projecting towatds Victoria followed by a ridge of high pressure moving in from the west will bring moderate to fresh S/SE winds Sunday, no good at all. This front will also generate some additional mid-period S/SW swell through Sunday and Monday.

Into Monday more variable winds from the E/NE-NE are due through the morning with plenty of size leftover, easing from the 4ft range across Middleton.

Tuesday is probably the pick with the swell dropping back from 3ft with a N'ly offshore ahead of a weak change.

Later in the day some reinforcing S/SW swell is due, generated by a polar fetch of pre-frontal W/NW gales, and this should keep 3ft sets hitting Middleton into Wednesday with light offshore winds again.

The Mid Coast will become tiny to flat into next week with the southerly swells not refracting into the gulf with any size. Longer term there's nothing too major, so have a great weekend!