Southern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday 17th April)

Best Days: Saturday, early Sunday morning, Monday, Tuesday morning, Thursday

Recap

Tiny swell yesterday, while this morning a new W/SW groundswell due to build across the coast was a little slow with inconsistent 1ft to nearly 2ft sets. A further pulse to 2ft to possibly 3ft should have been seen this afternoon, and the Cape Sorell buoy readings support this.

This weekend and next week (Apr 18 - 24)

This afternoon's kick in W/SW groundswell is due to ease through tomorrow from 2ft under N/NW tending W/NW winds.

Late in the day we may see the fore-runners of Sunday's strong W/SW groundswell filling in, pulsing to 3ft by dark.

This groundswell is tracking along nicely with the vigorous polar low aiming a fetch of storm-force W/SW winds through our westerly swell window today. The low will continue to push east this evening and tomorrow, with a moderate sized W/SW groundswell due across the South Arm, coming in at an inconsistent 3ft to occasionally 5ft Sunday morning before easing into the afternoon.

Winds are still looking favourable with an early W/NW'ly before swinging SW through the mid-morning.

A further drop in size is due Monday but this will be softened by a moderate sized SW swell peaking through the morning, generated on the backside of the polar low.

Clifton should still be around 3ft+ through the morning, easing back to 2-3ft and further from 2ft Tuesday morning.

Winds will be better and offshore from the NW tending W/NW Monday and then NW ahead of a weak sea breezes Tuesday.

We've got some good pulses of W/SW groundswell later in the week as a series of strong polar fronts fire up from the Heard Island region and push east along the polar shelf towards us next week.

The first is due Thursday, building to an inconsistent 2ft to maybe 3ft into the afternoon with a secondary more consistent pulse Friday to a similar size. Winds look dicey Friday though with a strong onshore change likely, but we'll review this Monday. Have a great weekend!