Western Australia Surf Forecast by Steve Shearer (issued Mon 8th May)

• Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)
• Small pulses ahead early next Mon/Tues with winds tending E/NE-NE with a front due Wed
• Solid storm surf for winter spots Wed/Thurs
• Potential window of good winds Fri AM with solid leftover surf
• Mostly onshore winds this weekend
• Favourable winds expected early next week with solid swells

Recap

Surf remained stubbornly small over the weekend with a few 4ft sets between the Capes Sat, and offshore winds, smaller 1-1.5ft in Mandurah and tiny in Perth. Surf eased back Sun to less than 2-3ft on the sets and has remained around that size today with winds tending E/NE to NE as a trough and small low moved south from the Central West. More small surf is ahead until a front slams the state Wed bringing a round of storm surf. 

Mostly small over the weekend

This week and next week (May8 – May 19)

A deep low is under the strong front which slams the state Wed so areas north and Indo will see strong SW swell from this system. The SW division will see one more tomorrow day of small long range swell to 3-4ft swell with NE winds tending more N-NNW in the a’noon and surf below 2ft in Mandurah and Perth.

Through Wed winds will swing W/NW then hard W-W/SW as the front passes through. Expect a large storm surf with size to 8-10ft through the day and only sheltered winter wave worth checking. Smaller 3ft surf in Mandurah and  2-3ft in Perth.

Solid mid period swell holds elevated surf Thurs, up in the 12ft range between the Capes and again, only surfable at sheltered winter spots. Smaller 3-4ft in Mandurah and 3ft in Perth under mod W/SW winds shifting SW and SSW through the day.

We should see a brief window of NE winds Fri as a small high quickly moves across the SW of the state. Winds will tend more NNE-NNW as another front approaches so you’ll need to be on it. Leftover size in the 8ft range will be on the ease through the day, with smaller 2-3ft surf in Mandurah, 2ft in Perth.

Plenty of leftover size on the weekend as reinforcing energy from a cut-off low tracking NE of Heard Island Wed/Thurs arrives with surf to 4-5ft expected Sat, building further to 6ft+ Sun but winds will be straight onshore as the weak front drags an onshore flow ashore over the weekend.

Next week looks like some better windows with plenty of surf expected as a high riding system tracks NE of Heard Island Sat/Sun generating a wide swathe of seas in excess of 20ft, reaching seas in excess of 30ft as it passes under WA. 

We may see a small high ridge in under the state Mon, bringing E/SE winds with surf building to 6ft during the day, smaller 2-3ft in Mandurah, 2ft in Perth.

This swell looks to peak Tues with 8ft sets between the Capes and offshore winds as a trough sits along the West Coast. 

We’ll have to see how those winds shape up, but at this stage there looks to be some good windows of solid swell and favourable winds nex week.

Check back Wed for the latest update.