South Australian Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday December 28th)

Best Days: Mid Coast tomorrow and Friday on the favourable parts of the tide, South Coast Sunday and Monday mornings, Mid Coast Monday morning and late in the day, Mid Coast Tuesday and Wednesday

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Moderate sized mid-period W/SW swell tomorrow with mod-fresh S/SE-SE winds
• Easing swell Fri with mod-fresh S/SE-SE winds
• Low point in swell Sat AM with moderate S/SE winds, freshening
• Inconsistent SW groundswell for later Sat, easing Sun with N/NE tending S/SE winds
• Moderate sized, inconsistent W/SW swell for Mon with local offshore winds ahead of a strengthening S/SW change late morning, tending S/SE late on the Mid
• Easing W/SW swell Tue with strong S/SE winds
• New W/SW swell for Tue PM and Wed with strong S/SE winds

Recap

Monday's large, powerful SW groundswell eased back in size and period through yesterday but conditions were favourable all day down South with easing sets from 4ft+ in the morning, holding 3ft into the afternoon under hot offshore winds.

The Mid Coast was a wind affected 1-1.5ft through the morning, but the incoming tide did its thing as winds backed off, creating glassy, perfect 2ft waves into the afternoon and evening.

A cool change was seen into the evening, with today seeing poor conditions across all locations.

Great waves across both coasts yesterday afternoon and a stylish punt

This week and next (Dec 29 – Jan 6)

The coming days will be poor for the South Coast as we see a high pressure system move in behind today's front. Luckily there'll be some fun mid-period W/SW swell for the Mid Coast and with clean conditions.

The source of the Mid Coast's swell is a healthy mid-latitude frontal progression that projected up towards and then under Western Australia, with the front clipping us last night.

We should see fun 2ft waves tomorrow morning, though full with the big morning tide, with the afternoon pulsing to 2-3ft as it pushes back in. Down South, sets to 3ft+ are due across Middleton and fresh S/SE-SE winds will favour the Mid Coast all day.

Friday should see easing sets from 2ft on the Mid Coast, best on the favourable parts of the tide and with similar, fresh S/SE-SE winds.

A low point in swell is due Saturday morning and winds will remain average out of the S/SE but ease in strength ahead of fresher sea breezes. There'll be nowhere to surf though with the swell becoming tiny on the Mid Coast, while small and onshore down South.

Into the afternoon a new, inconsistent SW groundswell is due, generated by a tight and short-lived polar low that formed to the south-southwest of Western Australia on Monday.

A brief fetch of gales should produce inconsistent 2-3ft wave off Middleton for later Saturday and Sunday morning, with light offshore winds kicking in from for the latter. A light N/NE offshore should create clean conditions before sea breezes kick in late morning.

Monday morning also looks clean with light E/NE offshores on the Mid Coast and a N/NE breeze down South, along with a new, moderate sized W/SW swell.

This is being generated by a broad polar frontal progression that's currently around the Heard Island region, with a fetch of strong to near gale-force W/SW winds being projected east. The frontal progression will weaken once south-west of Western Australia, with the inconsistent swell due to arrive early Monday morning, providing inconsistent but good 3ft+ sets across Middleton and inconsistent 1-2ft waves on the Mid (2ft on the favourable parts of the tide).

A trough will unfortunately bring strengthening onshore winds from late morning Monday from the S/SW, shifting S/SE on dark across the Mid Coast as a high moves into the Bight. This high looks to be stubborn, with a run of persistent, strong S/SE winds expected through most of next week but with further pulses of W/SW swell.

This will favour the Mid Coast, providing fun waves through mid-week. More on this Friday.