South Australian Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday April 28th)

Best Days: Both regions Saturday/Sunday/Monday, South Coast Tuesday morning, South Coast Wednesday morning, Thursday (Mid Coast early)

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Moderate sized mix of SW swells Sat and small W/SW swell with local offshore winds ahead of sea breezes
• Easing surf Sun with NW winds down South, N/NE early on the Mid, tending NW during the day
• Moderate sized, building SW groundswell Mon with moderate W/NW-NW tending W winds (possibly W/SW for short periods in the PM), lighter W winds in the AM on the Mid
• Moderate sized mix of swells Tue/Wed with strong W/NW-NW tending fresher W/SW winds Tue, stronger W/NW tending W/SW-SW into the PM Wed
• Easing surf Thu with N/NW winds (N/NE early on the Mid)
• Moder swell Fri/Sat with S winds

Recap

Tiny, bumpy waves on the Mid Coast while the South Coast bottomed out in size with clean conditions but 1-2ft sets across Middleton. Winds remained nice into the afternoon as some new swell provided more consistent 2ft sets.

Today a cold front has brought an onshore change with building surf, sloppy and poor to 1-2ft on the Mid Coast with sets now to 2-3ft off Middleton. We should see a mix of swells reaching 3-4ft down South but with those onshore winds.

This weekend and next week (Apr 29 – May 5)

Looking at the weekend ahead and tomorrow morning will be biggest, with a mix of SW swells, that being easing close-range energy from a strong but tight low passing under us today, with a long-range swell in the mix, the same one that's in the water across Margaret River this morning.

Sets to 4ft are due across Middleton as the Mid Coast comes in at 1-2ft, easing later in the day down South and then down from 3ft and holding 1-2ft in the gulf Sunday on the favourable parts of the tide.

Winds are looking favourable for both regions with variable E winds on the Mid Coast, light to moderate W/NW down South ahead of moderate, afternoon sea breezes.

Sunday will be great down South with all day NW offshore winds, N/NE early on the Mid but with little bumps and chops.

Now, moving into next week, we've got plenty of swell due thanks to a good Southern Ocean frontal progression firing up to the south-west of Western Australia.

An initial front swinging in from the south-east will generate a great fetch of NW tending W/NW gales, weakening and tending more W'ly south of the Bight. This will generate a moderate sized SW groundswell for Monday, filling in through the morning, peaking into the afternoon.

Middleton should build 4ft during the later afternoon on the sets, smaller and 2-3ft or so during the morning while the Mid Coast should see 1-2ft waves, pulsing to a more consistent 2ft into the afternoon. This will be linked to some weaker mid-period W/SW energy being in the mix thanks to W/SW winds being projected through Bass Strait today and tomorrow.

Following the W/NW fetch, a broader and elongated fetch of strong to gale-force W/SW winds will project under Western Australia, generating a reinforcing pulse of mid-period W/SW-SW swell for Tuesday afternoon/Wednesday, maintaining 4ft surf across Middleton 2ft waves across the Mid Coast.

Locally winds will favour the South Coast, being W/NW-NW during the morning, holding most of the day if not tending W/SW for a short period. The Mid Coast will be bumpy but workable with periods of lighter winds through the morning.

Similar winds are due on Tuesday morning, though freshening from the W/SW through the afternoon, favouring the South Coast again stronger out of the W/NW tending W/SW-SW into the afternoon.

Thursday will see winds ease and likely tend N/NE early on the Mid, N/NW down South as the moderate sized swell energy starts easing.

Longer term we've got more S/SW swell energy due later in the week and into next weekend, possibly bigger than seen during next Tuesday/Wednesday but with winds out of the southern quadrant. More on this Monday. Have a great weekend!