Western Australia Surf Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday 11th August)

Best Days: No good days until late next week

Recap

An unexpected period of variable tending offshore winds across Perth and Mandurah yesterday with raw but workable 3ft sets. Margs remained terrible and onshore.

This morning the swell was smaller and expected N/NE winds created workable waves across Mandurah and Perth to 2ft on the sets.

This weekend and next week (Aug 12 - 18)

Today marks a low point ahead of large stormy and messy surf over the coming days.

A broad and multi-centred low is projecting a flurry of vigorous frontal systems towards us.

The first system is projecting a fetch of severe-gale to storm-force W/SW winds towards us, producing a large W/SW groundswell for tomorrow, followed by a secondary fetch of W/SW gales on its tail today and tomorrow.

A secondary large W/SW groundswell is then due Sunday from this fetch, followed by a third SW groundswell Monday, generated by a stationary fetch of severe-gale to storm-force W/SW winds.

The expected size isn't really relevant (10ft+ range South West and 3ft+ Perth and Mandurah) as conditions will be poor throughout with strengthening W/NW tending NW winds tomorrow, similar Sunday and then strong but easing W/NW tending W winds Monday.

The broad low will start to weaken but push east very slowly through early to mid-next week, with persistent fronts projecting strong W/SW winds into us until Wednesday evening.

This will keep large mid-period surf hitting all locations with poor strong onshore W'ly winds Tuesday, fresher and W/SW Wednesday.

A ridge of high pressure will finally push up from the south-west during Thursday and this will swing winds back around to the E/SE to SE Friday morning.

The catch is, that by the time winds do this, the swell will be small and easing from 3-4ft range across the South West, 1ft in Perth. Thursday may see offshore winds around Perth with 1-2ft waves, but more on this Monday.

Longer term offshore winds will persist through next weekend but with no major swells. We'll have another look at this Monday. Have a great weekend!