Eastern Tasmanian Forecast by Steve Shearer (issued Wed April 30th)

Features of the Forecast (tl;dr)

• Better quality, small fun E/SE swell Thu with W tending NE winds
• Fun small blend of E swells Fri with offshore winds
• Small, clean surf Sat, easing right back Sun
• Not much expected next week- possibly some rideable NE windswell Tues/Wed

Recap

S to SE swells in the 2-3ft range yesterday offered opportunity with SW-S/SW winds shifting  S’ly through the day. Size has eased a smidge but still some 2-3ft surf with S’ly winds, now easing a notch.

This week and next week (Apr 3— May 9)

We’re seeing an easing in winds as a dominant high (1035hPa) moves through the eastern Bight towards Tasmania with a trough on it’s leading edge moving northwards. Remnants of a low on the weekend are also sitting near New Zealand with swell generating fetches off the South Island and emerging from Cook Strait into the eastern Tasman. Swells from the  New Zealand fetches keep surf zones active into the end of the week with mostly offshore to light winds into the weekend. 

Source of small but good quality E/SE-E/NE swells

In the short run we’ll see some fun sized E-E/NE swell from the Cook Strait fetch to 2ft with the occ. bigger set and light W tending SW winds with a variable seabreeze in the a’noon.

Another small blend on Fri with sets to 2ft and offshore winds continuing with variable a’noon seabreezes.

Into the weekend and not too much on offer. High pressure moves to the NE of the state with light winds, mostly W-NW tending to light NE seabreezes. Only small surf to 1-2ft Sat, easing further on Sun into the barely rideable range.

We’ll see NW winds freshen on Mon as a low approaches, then tend N/NW on Tues.

There should be enough strength in a straight N’ly fetch off Bass Strait too see some directional N’ly windswell develop Tues and peak Wed, provisionally into the 2ft range Tues a’noon, 3ft on Wed.

That will ease quickly once the low shunts the fetch to the east.

The lows are strong but zonal so we are only expecting small amounts of S swell wrap potentially Thurs and Fri.

Check back Fri for latest updates on that. 

Seeya then!