Victorian Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Wednesday 26th July)

Best Days: Today, tomorrow (beaches into the afternoon), Friday afternoon Surf Coast, Saturday Surf Coast, Monday and Tuesday morning Surf Coast

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Easing SW groundswell tomorrow with fresh to strong N/NW tending stronger N/NE winds to the east (holding N-N/NW to the west)
• Small Fri AM ahead of a moderate sized, mid-period SW swell building into the PM peaking Sat AM
• Strong but easing NW winds Fri, gusty N/NW tending NW Sat
• Small mid-period W/SW swell for Sun with strong N/NW tending NW and then W/NW winds
• Small-moderate sized W/SW swell Mon with strong NW winds
• Large W/SW groundswell Tue with fresh W/NW tending W/SW winds

Recap

Our large mix of W/SW and SW groundswells filled in through yesterday with the Surf Coast building from 4-5ft early to 6ft on the sets through the morning, with some bigger 8ft bombs into the afternoon with light, variable winds. There were reports of a few funky, less than ideal double-ups as the swells interfered with each other.

To the east the surf came in at a large 10ft on the sets with generally clean, lined up conditions.

This morning the swell is still large but easing with clean 6ft sets across the Surf Coast, 8ft on the big ones to the east and we should see winds remaining great all day, light from the NW.

Peninsula monsters yesterday afternoon

This week and next (Jul 25 - Aug 4)

Our current easing SW groundswell is due to continue dropping in size into the end of the week with a low point in energy due on Friday morning.

Tomorrow should still be around 3ft to occasionally 4ft on the Surf Coast, dropping back to 2-3ft into the afternoon with easing 5-6ft sets to the east, down to 4ft+ through the afternoon.

Winds will be more favourable for locations to the east into the afternoon with a fresh to strong N/NW breeze in the morning due to shift N/NE and become stronger. This will create windy but decent conditions, while on the Surf Coast winds are likely to hold from the N-N/NW.

Friday morning looks small with gusty but easing NW winds along with 1-2ft sets on the Surf Coast. The late afternoon is worth a look though as some new mid-period SW swell is due to arrive, with it expected to peak Saturday morning across the state.

We're looking at an upgrade in this swell energy, with the polar frontal progression linked to it currently producing a great fetch of W/NW gales through our south-western and then southern swell windows.

The swell should build to 2-3ft by dark on Friday across the Surf Coast and 4-5ft to the east, with Saturday morning coming in at 3-4ft and 5-6ft respectively, easing into the afternoon.

Gusty N/NW tending NW winds look to favour the Surf Coast on Saturday, with strong N/NW tending NW and then W/NW winds expected on Sunday along with the arrival of some new, mid-period W/SW swell.

The source of Sunday's swell will be a strong but weakening frontal system pushing in through the Bight on Saturday, with a secondary trailing fetch being of greater importance regarding generating a large W/SW groundswell for Tuesday.

Sunday's swell might come in at 2-3ft on the Surf Coast, while back to back fetches of W/SW gales should generate a larger 5-6ft of W/SW groundswell for Tuesday with W/NW tending W/SW winds.

There's a little room for movement regarding the peak in size for Tuesday depending on the strength of the progression as it moves in across us early next week, so check back here Friday for a clearer idea on this.