South Australian Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Monday 17th December)

Best Days: No good days until next week

Recap

Solid waves with a variable wind and good conditions across the South Coast Saturday with an easing S'ly swell, smaller but clean and fun again Sunday morning on the magnets.

The Mid Coast was clean but tiny Saturday, sloppy and tiny Sunday.

A new inconsistent SW groundswell filled in yesterday afternoon and is providing 1-1.5ft waves on the Mid today, with 2ft sets seen on the favourable parts of the tide. The South Coast was offering a bit more size, though under forecast expectations with bumpy onshore 2-3ft sets.

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This weekend and next week (Dec 18 - 23)

The coming forecast period is fairly poor on all fronts, with no decent swell and unfavourable winds.

We've got an easing SW groundswell from today through the week, with nothing to really replace it.

Winds will improve a little during tomorrow morning but remain generally average and out of the E with a small, peaky and easing 2ft wave off Middleton, with 0.5-1ft waves on the Mid Coast.

A deepening surface trough/low to our west will start moving in Wednesday and this will bring more favourable E/NE-NE winds during the morning, tending NW ahead of a late onshore change.

Size wise there isn't expected to be much at all down South with tiny windswelly waves to 1-1.5ft off Middleton with the odd possible 2ft set at Waits and parsons. The Mid Coast will be tiny to flat.

Once the mid-latitude low moves across us Wednesday evening, onshore S/SW tending S winds will create poor conditions and kick up a small weak S'ly windswell Thursday to 2ft or so on the South Coast, tiny on the Mid.

Winds will remain onshore from the S/SE on Friday and a small inconsistent background swell will likely provide lines to 2ft off Middleton, though with poor conditions, easing from 1-2ft Saturday as S/SE winds persist.

Sunday is looking cleaner with a variable E/NE breeze but tiny surf.

We've got better developments on the cards for Christmas Day as a strong storm is forecast to develop under the country through the weekend, likely generating a good long-period SW groundswell for next Tuesday. It could be large if everything continues to line up along with lighter winds, but more on this Wednesday.