South Australian Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday January 13th)

Best Days: This morning South Coast, tomorrow morning for the desperate South Coast, Mid Coast late Sunday and Monday morning, South Coast Monday morning and Tuesday morning

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Fading W/SW swell tomorrow with N/NE winds ahead a strong SW-S/SW change into the PM
• Building S windswell down South with strong S/SE winds Sun
• Small, building mid-period W/SW swell later in the day across the Mid Coast Sun, easing Mon with E/SE tending SW winds
• Moderate sized mid-period S/SW swell for Mon AM, then easing with E/NE-NE tending SE winds
• Easing surf Tue with fresh N/NE tending N/NW winds ahead of a W/SW-SW change into the PM
• Tiny W/SW swell for Tue PM, easing Wed with S/SE tending S/SW winds (S/SW down South)
• Moderate sized SW swell for later Wed, easing Thu with strong S/SE-SE winds

Recap

A drop in swell back to a tiny 1ft on the Mid Coast yesterday, with 0.5-1ft sets hanging in the mix this morning. The South Coast offered 2-3ft waves yesterday but with persistent onshore winds, best into the afternoon with a straight onshore.

Today we've got cleaner conditions and peaky 2ft sets across Middleton, better and bigger on the more exposed beaches. Make the most of the clean conditions before sea breezes kick in after lunch.

Small, peaky options this morning worth making the most of

This weekend and next week (Jan 14 - 20)

The surf will continue to fade into the weekend, but conditions will be ideal for beginners on the South Coast with a light offshore, N/NE breeze and 1-1.5ft sets across Middleton. Desperate surfers might find slow 2ft sets on the magnets while the Mid Coast will be tiny to flat.

Into the afternoon a trough is due to bring a strong S/SW change, with winds due to remain strong into Sunday out of the S/SE along with poor increase in windswell on the South Coast and building mid-period W/SW swell on the Mid Coast.

The mid-period energy is being generated by a mid-latitude front and fetch of strengthening W/SW winds passing under Western Australia. The front will dip south-east while strengthening this evening, with a fetch of gale-force SW winds generated in our southern swell window.

What should result is a mid-period W/SW swell for later Sunday, easing Monday along with a mid-period S/SW swell peaking Monday morning, easing into the afternoon.

The Mid Coast will benefit from the westerly swell and kick to 2ft by dark on Sunday with gusty S/SE tending SE winds late. Monday should see easing surf from 1-2ft, while the South Coast looks to come in at a good 3ft across Middleton, if not for the rare bigger one before easing through the day.

Winds will be E/SE across the Mid Coast Monday morning ahead of sea breezes with better E/NE-NE winds across the South Coast but there'll still be lots of morning sickness to contend with.

Tuesday looks better with a gusty N/NE tending N/NW breeze ahead of another trough and W/SW-SW change early/mid afternoon.

Size wise Middleton looks to ease back from a fun 2-3ft, while the Mid Coast will become tiny.

Later in the day though but more so Wednesday/Thursday a new mid-period W/SW swell followed by SW swell are due, generated by the same storm.

This will be a broad low forming east of the Heard Island region with a pre-frontal fetch strong W/NW winds due to be followed by a slightly stronger but sub-gale-force W/SW fetch.

The first swell will be smallest but best angled for the Mid Coast, coming in at 1-1.5ft across the Mid Coast Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.

The secondary swell will be best for the South Coast, kicking later Wednesday and reaching 3ft+ across Middleton ahead of a peak overnight, easing Thursday.

Unfortunately winds will be poor for the South Coast following Tuesday's trough and change with a strengthening S/SW tending S'ly breeze due on Wednesday, with strong S/SE-SE winds on Thursday. This will add some additional windswell to the mix but there'll be nowhere offering a clean, quality wave.

With the Mid Coast being on the tiny side, surfing options following Tuesday afternoon's change look very limited.

Longer term there's nothing major swell wise and winds look to persist from the SE so make the most of this morning down South and the coming pulses of swell for the Mid Coast. Have a great weekend!