South Australian surf forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday 17th January)

Best Days: Keen surfers South Coast mid-late morning tomorrow

Recap

Poor and sloppy conditions across the South Coast with surf to 2-3ft or so across Middleton, a tiny 1ft on the Mid Coast yesterday with a slight pulse today to 1-1.5ft as a mid-period SW swell filled in.

This weekend and next week (Jan 18 - 24)

As touched on the last couple of updates, the outlook is poor for the South Coast until lat least late next week.

Persistent onshore winds from the southern quadrant will create poor conditions across the region with a drop in mid-period SW swell and S/SE windswell due tomorrow.

We are expected to see winds ease and tend light to moderate out of the S/SE tomorrow morning, the best option for a wave over the coming days between mid-late morning along with an easing 2-3ft of peaky swells.

Come Sunday strengthen S/SW winds will kick up some new windswell into the afternoon, easing slowly Monday as strong S/SE winds persist, possibly swinging S/SW into the afternoon.

The Mid Coast will become tiny tomorrow, easing from 1ft on the sets, even smaller Sunday.

Onshore winds will linger into Tuesday with a small mix of easing mid-period and windswells, tiny Wednesday when winds finally swing offshore across the South Coast (N/NE tending NW). Try Waits and Parsons for a possible small 1-2ft wave early.

Longer term, a deepening mid-latitude low moving in from the west will generate a fetch of strong W/SW winds in the Mid Coast's swell window Tuesday and Wednesday, kicking up a weak W/SW windswell Thursday to 2ft but with onshore winds, while a secondary stronger intensification looks to generate some better swell for Friday/Saturday on the South Coast.

The models diverge on this a little so check back on Monday for an update on how later next week is shaping up. Have a great weekend!