Southern Tasmanian Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday January 17th)

Best Days: Tomorrow, Saturday morning, Tuesday morning

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Small mid-period SW swell tomorrow with N/NW-N winds ahead of a late SW change
• Moderate sized S/SW swell building Fri with strengthening W/SW tending SW winds
• Easing moderate sized swell Sat with N/NW tending S/SE winds
• Small surf Sun to Tue with S winds Sun, S/SW Mon, N/NE Tue

Recap

Clean but fading swell from Monday with 1-1.5ft waves for the keen yesterday, tiny today.

This week and weekend (Jan 18 - 21)

Looking at our dynamic period of surf, and tomorrow will see some new mid-period swell from a polar front projecting towards the state earlier in the week, coming in at 1-2ft across Clifton and with favourable N/NW-N winds ahead of a late, weak SW change.

Looking at the mid-latitude low that's setup camp to our west and this will stay too far north and west of our swell window until tomorrow afternoon and evening, when it starts moving east.

At the base of the low, a good fetch of strong S-S/SW winds should generate some decent S/SW swell for Friday afternoon, reaching 3ft+ late, easing from 3ft on Saturday morning.

Winds from the low will shift strong W/SW-SW on Friday, creating poor conditions with Saturday seeing light N/NW winds and the best surf. Expect afternoon sea breezes and lingering S winds Sunday following a trough the evening before.

Unfortunately this trough will strengthen to our west during Sunday, leaving persistent S/SW winds across Clifton on Monday, swinging back to the N/NE on Tuesday.

Swell wise some fun energy due on the weekend and Monday from weak polar frontal activity will ease Tuesday back from 1-2ft in the morning.

Longer term there's nothing too major on the cards so make the most of tomorrow and Saturday.