Southern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 7th October)

Best Days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings, later Sunday, Tuesday morning

Recap

Yesterday's strong W/SW groundswell performed well across Clifton with solid 3ft sets under offshore winds which strengthened into the afternoon.

Today a secondary short-range W/SW swell came in larger to 3-4ft but morning winds were average. As expected winds have since shifted offshore from the W/NW to NW creating great conditions this afternoon.

This week and weekend (Oct 8 – 11)

The vigorous low responsible for today's pulse of W/SW groundswell has moved off quickly to the west but a secondary system moving through this afternoon should keep 2ft sets hitting Clifton tomorrow, ahead of a slightly bigger kick in size later in the day. This will be in the form of a new W/SW groundswell and should peak overnight, easing from 2ft or so Friday morning.

Winds should be offshore from the NW tomorrow morning ahead of SE sea breezes, and Friday is due to play out the same.

Saturday's tricky S/SW swell has now been changed in direction to the W/SW and the size downgraded a touch, due to the deepening frontal system generating it not really developing a favourable fetch in our swell window. Instead a strong pre-frontal NW fetch will be the most dominant in our western swell window, producing 1-2ft waves Saturday morning across Clifton, fading into the afternoon.

Winds should be good early from the NW before shifting W/SW through the day.

Later Sunday and more so Monday a new W/SW swell is due from another pre-frontal fetch of W/NW gales moving through our swell window over the coming days. A late kick to 1-2ft is due Sunday, holding Monday around a similar size. Winds look dicey though Monday with SE breezes in the wake of a trough moving through the region.

Longer term the storm track will remain favourable for the South Arm but without much strength. Fun smalls wells with favourable winds are likely from Tuesday but we'll review this again on Friday.