Southern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Monday 18th May)

Best Days: Tuesday, Friday morning, Saturday morning, Sunday

Recap

Good fun swell to 2ft Saturday morning, with a pulse through the day as winds remained offshore.

A drop in size back from 2ft was seen into Sunday morning, while today the surf was smaller and around 1-2ft. A late kick in new SW groundswell is due today with weak SE sea breezes.

This week (May 19 - 22)

This afternoon's late kick in SW groundswell should peak overnight and then ease from the 2-3ft range tomorrow morning under N/NW tending variable winds, ahead of a late onshore change.

Through the rest of the week, we've got some good pulses of SW groundswell on the cards, but winds look dicey and less than ideal.

The first strong pulse is due through Wednesday, generated by a vigorous polar frontal system currently south of WA, tracking east-northeast while aiming a fetch of W/SW gales through our swell window.

This swell should build through Wednesday, building strongly into the afternoon to 3-4ft across Clifton. Winds will unfortunately be fresh onshore from the S'th as a surface trough pushes across us Tuesday evening.

The swell should ease back into Thursday morning to 2-3ft but another strong pulse of SW groundswell late in the day, peaking overnight and easing Friday.

The swell looks to peak in the 3-5ft range, but with this being overnight, we'll probably see Clifton reach 3-4ft on dark Thursday and then easing from 3-4ft Friday morning.

Winds look as if they'll linger from the S'th into Thursday, with Friday seeing an early W/NW'ly before swinging back to the SW.

This weekend onwards (May 23 onwards)

Friday's swell should ease back off into the weekend but a couple of strong but unconsolidated polar fronts pushing through our swell window later in the week, should keep Clifton topped up with plenty of waves. Saturday should see the swell easing from 2-3ft, while a new pulse of S/SW groundswell Sunday afternoon should kick back to 2ft+ again.

Winds will be better and offshore each morning, persisting into Sunday afternoon.

Longer term there's nothing significant on the cards, so make the most of the coming waves.