South-east Queensland and Northern NSW Surf Forecast by James Casey (issued Friday 21st May)

Best Days: Tuesday onwards with the E/SE swell

Outlook:

• Smaller waves for the weekend in that 2-3ft range with E/SE windswell
• Solid sized surf out of the E/SE from Tuesday, 6-8ft for SE QLD and N NSW, 6ft+ for the MNC 
• Expect a series of pulses and ebbs from Tuesday as the E/SE swell continues into the start of the weekend
• Strong southerly change on Thursday followed by a large S swell for the weekend

Recap

It’s been in and around that 1-2ft mark for SE QLD, a little bigger for the Sunny Coast but winds haven’t been favourable for locations picking up the most of the swell. South of the border it’s been a little bigger, 3ft and best early with offshore winds. The afternoons have been a little junky with light SE winds. 

Today is much the same around the 2ft mark for SE QLD, a little bigger, 2-3ft, for the Sunshine Coast and more like 1-2ft for the Goldy Winds have been offshore S/SW early and  more S in the arvo. South of the border it's been 3ft with offshore winds early tending more S later in the day. 

The weekend

An E/SE windswell will keep waves in that 2-3ft range over the weekend thanks to a ridge directing persistent SE winds towards the coast. The Sunny Coast will see a bit more size up around the 3ft mark. 

South of the border there’ll be a bit of a mix of swells but in that 2-3ft range. There’ll be less of the SE windswell due to less fetch but a longer period S swell thanks to a poorly aimed cold front in the Southern Ocean. I’d expect S swell magnets to see most of the energy from this with most other spots missing out as winds just looked too zonal as the front passed. 

Winds will be SW early but tend more SE as the day goes on for both Saturday and Sunday so the morning will be your best bet for a clean wave this weekend. 

Next week 

The E/SE windswell will start to build on Monday across the region as the ridge is squeezed by a low pressure system north of NZ. Waves will build throughout the day but with SW winds early tending more SE into the afternoon your best option will be in the afternoon. 

A more powerful E swell is set to fill in on Tuesday thanks to strong winds on the western and southeastern flank of the low. The low is now looking more powerful with stronger winds to the west coast of NZ and some funnelling of winds through Cook Strait so there should be a good spread of SE swell across the week. 

Wave heights for Tuesday will be largest for SE QLD and N NSW up around 6-8ft while the MNC has 6ft+ waves. Winds will continue to be SW early and swing SE in the afternoon. South of the border winds will generally be lighter but following a similar trend.

It is tough to pick when the swell will ebb or pulse as the low is split either side of NZ’s North Island but it looks like there’ll be a little dip on Wednesday before another pulse on Thursday. 

Wednesday will see winds offshore early before tending NE in the afternoon for the Goldy and more SE for the Sunny Coast. South of the border winds will be NW early and swing around to the NE for the afternoon. 

A strong south change will make its way up the coast early in the morning on Thursday with strong SW winds early south of the border tending more SE. The change will reach SE QLD in the afternoon shifting winds SE later in the day but remaining W/SW for most the morning.

The low will fade out on Thursday, pushed away by the strong south change, but there’ll be plenty of swell to fill in until the start of the weekend. 

Further ahead expect the E/SE swell to continue into the start of the weekend before a larger S swell fills in over the weekend thanks to a what is looking like a solid low off the east coast.