Southern Tasmania Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 6th May)

Best Days: Thursday, Friday morning for beginners, protected spots Saturday and Sunday, Monday

Recap

A bit more swell left in the mix than expected yesterday with clean 2ft waves across Clifton, tiny today.

This week and weekend (May 7 - 10)

Our spike in new long-period W/SW groundswell is on track, with satellite observations confirming a stronger than forecast but less than favourably aligned fetch of storm-force W/NW winds moving east-southeast through our swell window.

While not ideally aimed or tracking, the strength and size of the swell should result in good energy spreading up and into us tomorrow morning, peaking across Clifton to 3ft, then easing through the afternoon and tiny Friday to 1ft+.

Winds tomorrow will be fresh from the N'th, strengthening from the N/NE through the day favouring selected beaches and then N all day Friday.

We've now got a S'ly groundswell on the cards for Saturday across Clifton, produced by the remnants of the low linked to tomorrow's swell, re-intensifying south-west of New Zealand.

A fetch of severe-gale S/SW winds will be just generated in our southern swell window, with the S'ly groundswell expected to arrive late Friday and peak Saturday morning to 2-3ft across Clifton.

Unfortunately we may see a trough move through early Saturday bringing onshore W/SW winds, spoiling this new swell.

Our new W/SW groundswell for Sunday is still on track with a broad low forecast to develop west-southwest of us Friday. A fetch of gale to near severe-gale SW winds will be projected through our western swell window, with the swell due Sunday morning to 3ft across Clifton on the sets.

The swell should hold all day under less than favourable W'ly winds, clean Monday though fading from 2ft.

Following this, a couple of strong but zonal fronts moving in from the west on the weekend and early next week should produce top ups in W/SW groundswell. More on this Friday though.