Southerly swells continue, fading from Sunday

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)

South-east Queensland and Northern NSW Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 17th July)

Best Days: Every morning over the coming days in NSW, QLD early tomorrow, Friday and Saturdy morning for the keen

Recap

A large pulse of new S'ly groundswell yesterday morning with 6ft sets across northern NSW, grading a little smaller towards the Mid North Coast and fun waves on the SE Qld magnets.

The swell eased through the day but a secondary reinforcing S'ly swell has filled in today with surf varying between 4-5ft across most regional south swell magnets, building to 3ft on the Gold Coast magnets this afternoon.

Today’s Forecaster Notes are brought to you by Rip Curl

This week and weekend (Jul 18 - 21)

These notes will be brief as Ben’s on annual leave.

Two down, two more to go.

A new pulse of S'ly groundswell that filled in today will drop into tomorrow morning ahead of a new S'ly groundswell Friday, peaking during the morning across the Mid North Coast and through the middle of the day in northern NSW, afternoon on the Gold Coast.

This will be generated by a front pushing up and across Tassie this evening, projecting a fetch of strong to gale-force SW-S/SW winds through our southern swell window early tomorrow morning and most of tomorrow while slowly projecting north-east.

A moderate sized S'ly groundswell is expected, but ahead of this tomorrow, we should see south facing beaches easing from 3-4ft, with small 2ft+ sets on the Goldy magnets.

Friday's new swell should peak around 4-5ft across most locations in NSW, with a few stray 6ft cleanups possible, while the Gold Coast looks to build back to 2-3ft at swell magnets into the late afternoon.

Winds tomorrow won't be ideal for south magnets with a moderate W/SW breeze, shifting S/SE into the afternoon, though not too fresh.

Friday looks great with a light to moderate W/NW offshore (W/SW on the MNC) with weak NE sea breezes on the Goldy and North Coast, swinging S/SE further south.

Our last S'ly swell will be generated by a weak front pushing up and out of Bass Strait, with a fetch of strong SW winds due to be generated in our southern swell window Friday.

This will likely just slow the easing trend from Friday as the swell pushes up through Saturday afternoon.

South swell magnets are due to ease a touch from the 4ft range in northern NSW Saturday morning, small to tiny on the Gold Coast, and then 3ft to possibly 4ft early Sunday, but down to 2-3ft into the afternoon.

Winds will be good each morning on the weekend, light W'ly Saturday morning ahead of NE sea breezes, NW tending N/NE Sunday.

Longer term, a fun S/SE swell is due on Tuesday, generated by a fetch of strong S/SE winds off New Zealand's South Island as Friday's front pushes over to the east and spawns into a low. This should provide a fun kick in swell to 3ft across northern NSW.

Following this we'll see the surf building again out of the south later next week as a cold front pushes up and off the southern NSW coast, but more on this Friday.

Comments

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 4:51pm

Today was bigger than at any stage of yesterday in Lennox/ballina region.
Significantly.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 4:56pm

yep

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 5:29pm

Wow, thanks for the feedback! Yesterday morning looked bigger when I did the rounds.

tiger's picture
tiger's picture
tiger Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 5:45pm

Way more muscle in it where I was on the mid nth coast today than there was yesterday. Pretty dang fun on both days though.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 5:48pm

Yeah today’s was a longer period groundswell. Likely focusing into some places better. 

bigwagon's picture
bigwagon's picture
bigwagon Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 6:10pm

agreed, significantly bigger this morning

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 7:23pm

How big guys?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 7:25pm

solid 6ft sets, bigger on the bar.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 7:28pm

Noice! Where I surfed it was a semi exposed beach and 4-5ft on the sets. Probably 6ft up the beach a bit as well. 

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 7:30pm

really lined up, period increase was noticeable.

Matb's picture
Matb's picture
Matb Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 7:36pm

I wouldn’t of said significantly bigger, maybe a foot or two max, ie not much difference

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 7:38pm

significant difference at every level between a 4 ft wave and a 6ft wave, especially with longer period.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Wednesday, 17 Jul 2019 at 8:59pm

Not too much difference in size (4-5ft) but definitely more punch today. Pretty much pumping both days though.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 18 Jul 2019 at 12:58pm

Another really fun day of surf edging a little further north. Light winds, clean conditions and 3-4ft sets in crystal blue water. Do you guys even get winter? Besides the early morning cool temps ;p

Laurie McGinness's picture
Laurie McGinness's picture
Laurie McGinness Thursday, 18 Jul 2019 at 2:02pm

Six weeks after the shortest day is about it these days Craig and with plenty of warm days even then.

dandob's picture
dandob's picture
dandob Thursday, 18 Jul 2019 at 5:47pm

Frustrating in yamba area. No banks on beachies, too small tides for the reefs, swell n wind tick, worth a surf options slim to none.

Laurie McGinness's picture
Laurie McGinness's picture
Laurie McGinness Thursday, 18 Jul 2019 at 5:52pm

.

Laurie McGinness's picture
Laurie McGinness's picture
Laurie McGinness Thursday, 18 Jul 2019 at 5:56pm

Some fun ones around here today. I was on the sidelines after headbutting my board yesterday. Minor damage but enough to keep me out for a couple of days ........ old skin heals slowly!