South Australian Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Monday August 12th)

Best Days: Later tomorrow Mid Coast, Mid Coast Wednesday, South Coast Wednesday and Thursday

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• New, inconsistent W/SW groundswell for tomorrow PM and Wed AM with gusty but easing N/NE winds tomorrow, N/NW down South
• Moderate + size W/SW swell for Wed (peaking PM), easing Thu with moderate NE tending N/NE then weaker N/NW winds on the Mid Wed, N/NW tending variable down South
• Strong N/NE tending N/NW winds on Thu
• Strong NW tending SW winds Fri

Recap

Our great weekend of surf for both coasts played out as such with a secondary pulse of good W’ly swell providing inconsistent 2-3ft sets with clean, glassy conditions all day on Saturday, easing a little yesterday back to 2ft but still super fun.

The South Coast was also great with offshore winds and 3ft of swell Saturday, easing yesterday.

This morning the swell is smaller again with tiny waves left in the gulf, best down South on the magnets.

Pumping surf Saturday

This week and weekend (Aug 13 - 18)

The best west swells for the coming week have come and gone but we’ve still got fun pulses of W’ly energy due through this week, generated by the high riding storm track up through the southern Indian Ocean.

A small, inconsistent W’ly groundswell is due into tomorrow afternoon, easing Wednesday, generated by one such storm over the weekend.

It’ll be inconsistent and looks to come in around 1-2ft on the Mid Coast at the peak, with Middleton only likely hitting an inconsistent 2ft.

We’ve got a better, secondary pulse of W’ly swell due into Wednesday/Thursday though, produced by a trailing frontal system that’s currently moving across and under Western Australia.

A good, broad fetch of strong W’ly winds should generate a better 2ft+ of swell for the Mid Coast (3ft sets likely) with the South Coast coming in at a slow 2-3ft thanks to the west direction.

The swell will then ease back steadily through Thursday from 2ft+ inside the gulf and 2-3ft across Middleton, smaller Friday.

Looking at the local winds and gusty but easing N/NE winds will create improving conditions across the Mid Coast later tomorrow, with N/NW tending variable winds down South.

With the stronger swell on Wednesday, we’re looking at doable but not perfect NE tending N/NE winds inside the gulf, variable N/NW into the afternoon with N/NW tending variable winds down South ahead of late sea breezes.

Thursday looks similar but with stronger N/NW winds developing through the day, creating choppy conditions inside the gulf, best down South.

Friday looks average as the swell bottoms out with strong NW tending SW winds as a trough moves through with the weekend being a write-off with strong SW winds Saturday, likely weakening but lingering into Sunday.

Longer term there’s nothing major due at all through most of next week and with small swells with stronger offshore winds for the South Coast. So make the most of the coming days of surf.