Western Australia Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Monday 31st July)

Best Days: Protected spots tomorrow, Wednesday morning, Friday and Sunday mornings Perth and Mandurah 

Recap

XL stormy surf on Saturday with nowhere to really surf in the South West and Mandurah, while the swell and conditions settled down into Sunday as onshore winds persisted across the South West.

Perth and Mandurah saw a light offshore breeze creating clean conditions ahead of weak sea breezes.

Today the swell bottomed out with less than ideal N'ly winds around Perth and Mandurah, onshore across the South West. A strong onshore change has since moved through along with a building mix of groundswell and windswell.

This week and weekend (Aug 1 - 6)

The frontal system currently pushing across the state has generated an XL W/SW groundswell, with it forming late last week west of Heard Island before projecting towards us over the weekend.

We should see Margs coming in at 10-12ft with 3-4ft sets in Perth and Mandurah along with fresh and gusty S'ly winds (S/SE around Perth and Mandurah). This will favour protected spots.

Wednesday is still looking the best with light offshore E'ly winds due across most locations (variable in the South West and likely onshore around Cape Leeuwin) as the swell eases from the 10ft and 3ft range respectively.

Our large long-period SW groundswell for Thursday and Friday is still on track, but so are the onshore winds.

This swell was generated by a vigorous polar low over the weekend, with a fetch of storm-force W/SW winds generated by a vigorous polar low west of Heard Island.

This storm is currently weakening while moving east, generating a pre-frontal fetch of gale to severe-gale W/NW winds, followed by post-frontal severe-gale W'ly winds.

The pre-frontal fetch should generate some new SW groundswell Thursday morning ahead of the XL groundswell later in the day and Friday.

Unfortunately the progression will push into us on Thursday, bringing strong W/NW tending S/SW winds, holding from the SW Friday with another frontal system.

Margs should see large 10-12ft surf again Friday with 3ft+ waves around Perth and Mandurah, and a period of variable winds is likely north of Margs Friday morning.

Onshore winds look to kick back in across all locations Saturday as the swell continues to ease, NW into Sunday (NE early around Perth).

Another large SW groundswell is due Sunday though, produced by a storm forming in the Heard Island region mid-week, projecting north-east while strengthening towards the weekend.

We're looking at surf in the 10ft+ range around Margs with 2-3ft waves further north along with that early NE breeze. More on this Wednesday though.