The all day offshore and late arvo glass off are two special phenomenas that make for magic post-lunch or after work sessions. But why are they so rare in summer and only start to show more prominently into autumn and winter?
Such is the enormity of this typhoon, wind speeds are forecast to gust to 280km/h around the centre of Soulik as the pressure bottoms out at a phenomenal 915hPa this evening.
The most interesting, and also the best, characteristic regarding low pressure systems that form close to the coast are the wide range of winds available in a very short stretch of coastline. The following lesson is something to keep in mind the next time a similar sytem strikes.
With Kelly the victor in Fiji the ASP now moves the circus from one great wave region to another. And while they both boast high quality waves the differences are many; Fiji features big barrels over unforgiving reef, while Keramas is best compared to a skate park throwing up everything from barrels to racing walls for carves and aerials.
At last year's Volcom Fiji Pro a huge, clean swell hit Cloudbreak on Day 6 of the waiting period. Sets were breaking in the 20 foot range under light offshores creating mindlessly perfect conditions - everyone has seen the photos and videos! The contest got canned so the Top 34 stepped aside allowing the spotlight to fall on the world's best big wave surfers.
When the LWT stalls and amplifies east of New Zealand, Southern Ocean storms are supercharged and steered deep into the South Pacific on a course towards Tahiti.
With this in mind we'll probably see the competition run over the coming 4 days before going back into a holding pattern.
Rather than the traditional X-Y line graph that can only chart one swell at a time, the Directional Spectra is a 360 degree screen that registers every swell in the water by its direction, its energy, and its period. This represents a significant leap forward. Whereas the line graph could only plot the most dominant swell in the water, the Directional Spectra chronicles multiple swells.
Victoria's Surf Coast is uniquely positioned with a broad swell window to the southwest, however incoming swells are refracted as they round Cape Otway. This narrows the apparent swell direction at the coast, so when viewed from shore the majority of swells appear to arrive from the south. So how can you tell if there's a westerly swell or a southerly swell running through Bass Strait if they all appear to be arriving from a similar direction at the coast?
Early indications are very promising and there's even a good chance for a solid swell over the Easter break.
You've only got one more shot at getting stuck into some elusive cyclone swell before summer comes to a close. And if predictions ring true, it'll all be contained within the coming three weeks.
Here at Swellnet, we are strong believers in the following train of thought: the most classic of East Coast swells come not from isolated Tropical Cyclones but the combination of a cyclone with a strong supporting high pressure ridge.
