East swell keeps chugging away this week
South-east Queensland and Northern NSW Surf Forecast by Steve Shearer (issued Mon Mar 18th)
Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)
- S/SE groundswell for Northern NSW Sun PM and Mon
- E'ly swell holding through most of next week
- Spike in S-S/SE swell Thurs, holding into Fri with fresh S’ly winds Thurs, easing Fri
- Light winds over the weekend with potential for fun beachbreaks
- More E swell next week, at reduced levels
Recap
The weekend ran close to script with strong SE winds Sat confining surfable options to protected points- mostly in the 3ft range. Winds eased off Sun and both size and quality lifted a notch allowing for a fun spread of surf across regional points and anywhere with a modicum of protection from S’ly winds. Surf was running at similar sizes this morning (3-4ft) with a light onshore flow not affecting wave quality too much. Mostly E’ly swell but there was some visible S/SE groundswell showing in the 2-3ft range in NENSW.
This week (Mar 18-22)
Pretty typical late Summer pattern with a high in the Tasman and a maturing trade-wind flow in the Coral Sea, linked to an active monsoon trough with a small embedded low in the Coral Sea. There is a tropical cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria which formed over the weekend but this system is expected to track inland over the NT and Kimberley regions and not be a swell source for the East Coast. We’ll see this pattern disrupted mid-week by an aggressive trough which brings S winds and swell before the next high slowly resets the trade pattern, this time further north in the Coral Sea.
In the short run we’ll see a continuation of moderate E’ly swells. Certainly nothing special compared to last weeks swell but size will hold on the 3ft+ range Tues, bigger by a notch (4ft) on Wed . Light E’ly winds north from the border with a more E/NE-NE flow as you head south from Byron. We may see that onshore flow light enough for land breezes to develop over the next couple of mornings but we’re still not quite there for that classic autumn morning pattern.
By Thurs a trough will be aggressively pushing up the coast, into Coffs by first light, and across the Northern Rivers by early morning. A brief window of slack winds north of Byron will be extended in time north of the border before the change and offers clean conditions before strong S’lies develop. We’ll see a spike in new short range S-S/SE swell through the a’noon with size up to 3-5ft in the a’noon across exposed outer Points, bigger on S facing beaches which will be a blown out mess.
The S/SE swell spike persists into Fri at similar size but will ease through the day as the trough moves away quickly. Expect 3-5ft surf across the Points, with SE winds and an easing trend in play for S/SE swell in the a’noon, held up by continuing E swell to 3ft.
This weekend (Mar 23-24)
Generally easing winds this weekend. Pressure gradients ease and morning land breezes look likely, at least through NENSW up into the southern Gold Coast. Those winds will tend light/mod SE through the a’noon.
Swell tap is mostly turned off though so you’ll need to be ready to grovel.
The tradewind band contracts eastwards later this week so that swell source will slowly ease across the weekend. It should hold in the 3-4ft range Sat, dropping slowly back to 2-3ft into Sun.
If winds co-operate we should see some fun beachies across the weekend to spread the crowd
Next week (Mar 25 onwards)
Small start to next week with reinforcing high pressure gradually shifting into the Tasman early next week. We should see a day of light winds Mon with small E swells to 2ft.
From there tradewinds rebuild in the Coral Sea, albeit at more subdued levels . It should be sufficient to see surf build back to 3ft or so for most of next week. Small S swell pulses may add some extra energy to NENSW S facing beaches early next week.
In short, nothing major on the radar but a few swell sources that should offer up some rideable options.
Check back Wed for the latest.
Comments
Your images aren’t showing Steve. At least not at my end.
Hmm, showing OK here. Can you please try again?
They're fine for me mate
Re booted the iPhone
I’m getting a tiny blue square with a question mark in the middle of the image space. Same the other day with a Stu article. Can’t remember which one.
Can see images elsewhere on the site.
Just done a quick squiz at other articles and same. Anyone know what could be wrong at my end?
I'd give the browser and computer and reboot.
It's an Imgur hosted image so should be fine.
Do you have another browser on your phone, like Chrome?
Hey Ben
Yes I’m using Chrome.
I’ve rebooted
I’ve looked for any issues in settings. May have been a man look though
seems to be a 404 (not found) issue.
try opening this: https://i.imgur.com/n1oq0mE.png
I have the same issue
I opened it. Just another little symbol as before
Yes, that means the issue is with Imgur. Could be that they are down, Swellnet account is full, etc….
Nah all works fine here. No limit on accounts either.
Hi Ben,
Interesting, works on my laptop but still not working on my phone....
Same browser on phone as per laptop?
That’s a yes for me.
I'm genuinely baffled.
Just out of interest, can you see this photo of D'Bah?
https://www.swellnet.com/comment/943848#comment-943848
No Ben
Just the text and little blue question mark symbol
I can honestly say I haven’t changed a thing on my phone. Started last week sometime.
Hi Ben,
FYI - I have the same issue using chrome on IOS.
The header image on articles displays but not ones in the body.
I can see the screenshot Seeds posted in the comments but not the D'Bah one you linked.
All works fine in Safari / on other devices
I just deleted chrome and re installed
Still have the problem. No issues with Safari or Duck Duck Go
My screenshot was posted using imgbb no problems there
Seems it’s just Imgur images
There's a heap of things to try seeds...
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=chrome+not+loading+im...
Thanks Sprout. Tried them. No luck.
Gah, spewing. Is your phone old/still supported? Perhaps outdated? Clutching at straws, all the best.
iPhone 12
Well well every image has decided to reveal itself today.
How about you fcalmon and get.coned?
And.. we haven't changed a thing.
Baffling!
Nothing changed at my end either.
Baffling alright!
Yep working fine for me now!
Thanks
Way over my head.
Swell is around, but quality is low still.
5m swell next Thursday????
Hey Ben / Stu (not sure where else to address this):
Why did you delete my comment about ‘Legrope War Lost at the Pass?’ Was just on and now gone?
Something sensitive ?
You recall the link attached? We've been through this before.
You might be mistaken (or my memory bad) but I don’t believe I’ve been through this with you.
Ok I get it. Apologies. Surprises me you guys worry about that place. Your house, your rules.
The last time was August 30th, 2023. First time about a month before that.
If it surprises you then you clearly have no idea what's happening.
The surf site that shall not be named.
No problem naming them, nor any other site, yet in the battle of David and Goliath, Davo needn't make his opponents job any easier.
Just kept getting better and better this morn, proper kegs, very surprised it was just me and a young fella who was getting one in before school. Crew must be surfed out. Been surfing that much feels like I'm on a trip
Almost carbon copy this morning of yesty, though a smidge bigger on the sets (4-5ft easy). Lotta water moving through creating a strange lineup (many waves won't break, then the last one in the set is top-to-bottom), I'm pretty sure it's to do with overlapping swell trains and the associated infragravity waves.
We've had a pretty severe hair cut to the banks here since that last big E swell barrage, so was barely breaking on the high tide this morning.
Actually looked smaller, although as tide started to drain you could see more energy.
Yeh I was surprised to find there were any beachies left after that swell. Checked a few northern ends this morn and banks look pretty rubbish.
yep banks that were getting good over xmas now wide and shit........hate endless east swells as they do nothing around here except fuk things up.........piss off la nina or whatever you are.
^ this.