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

Best Days: Sunday protected spots South Coast, Tuesday morning South Coast, Wednesday morning South Coast magnets, Mid Coast next Friday for the keen

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Low point in swell tomorrow AM with gusty W/NW winds, tending SW late AM and then easing (W/SW AM on the Mid)
• Building mid-period SW swell tomorrow PM, peaking out of the S/SW Sun
• Moderate W/NW winds Sun AM, strengthening from the W-W/NW into the PM
• Moderate sized mix of swells Mon down South with strong S/SW winds
• Easing surf Tue with NE tending SE winds
• Small Wed with N/NE winds ahead of weak late sea breezes
• Early N winds Thu, tending S with a small S/SW groundswell
• Moderate sized W/SW swell next Fri with S/SE winds

Recap

A low point in swell was seen yesterday morning across the South Coast with less than ideal conditions, while the Mid Coast saw a tiny windswell to 1-1.5ft which built through the day to 2ft to occasionally 3ft along with gusty onshore winds.

This morning the swell is in the 2ft+ range across the Mid Coast with workable onshore winds (conditions have since deteriorated with a stronger onshore breeze), 3ft or so across Middleton and best in protected spots. All in all nothing special but there is a wave for the keen.

This weekend and next week (Oct 14 - 20)

Today's mix of swells are due to ease temporarily into tomorrow morning before increasing again from the afternoon but peaking Sunday out of the S/SW.

The weak nature of the current and forecast swells is thanks to the frontal systems moving through our swell windows being relatively weak in nature with the fetch strengths falling below the gale-force range.

The polar system projecting up towards Victoria through tomorrow looks the best, generating a healthy fetch of sub-gale-force SW winds through our southern swell window, producing a moderate sized, mid-period S/SW swell for Sunday.

Coming back to tomorrow morning and small 2ft sets are due in the morning across Middleton with 1-2ft surf on the Mid Coast along with gusty W/NW winds around Victor, W/SW on the Mid,.

Winds are due to shift SW through the late morning and ease into the afternoon as weak levels of SW swell build, likely reaching 3ft across Middleton.

Sunday should provide better 4ft+ waves across Middleton with small 1-2ft sets persisting on the favourable parts of the tide across the Mid Coast, easing back through Monday from 4ft and 1-1.5ft respectively.

Sunday morning still looks clean down South with a morning W/NW breeze, shifting more W and strengthening through the day but possibly still holding from the W/NW into the afternoon.

This will be ahead of a stronger S/SW change on Monday as the final front in the current progression pushes up and into us. Some additional windswell will be added to the mix down South from this change, with a groundswell also in the mix, but not to the size the models are showing.

Tuesday will start to clean up as winds tend NE in the morning but there'll still be tons of lump in the swell with easing 3ft sets across Middleton.

Wednesday will be smaller but cleaner with a N/NE offshore ahead of late sea breezes.

Unfortunately a trough will bring a shallow S'ly change on Thursday which looks to strengthen into Friday as a high fills out under the state.

Swell wise, a good groundswell slated for late week looks minimal now, but some new, smaller mid-period W/SW energy is on the cards for Friday, generated by a weak front moving under the country early-mid week. The Mid Coast may see 1-2ft surf but mostly come in at 1-1.5ft, though we'll review this Monday. Have a great weekend!